


Wings of a crow

by evanescentpandemonium



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2018-07-12 01:44:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 35,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7079473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evanescentpandemonium/pseuds/evanescentpandemonium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So she decided on that bloody, rainy day, the day his cold, limp body fell to the ground, the last of air leaving his lungs.</p><p>The day he died.</p><p>She decided for this human she would go against her kind disobey her brethren and break all the rules.<br/>She would crush tradition, forget the laws, rip open worlds, dimensions, the fabric of time and space.</p><p>For this one human she would change the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

She lives in between worlds.   
Levitating in a dark dimension -  _that_ is where she is.  
Surrounded by mirrors.  
 _Billions_ of mirrors.  
Each one representing, reflecting _a life._ A short, fragile _human life_.  
By breaking a mirror she could kill,  _destroy_ one's very existence.  
She never did.  
She was a spirit, a _guardian of memories._  
She never forgot, not even one person whose life she observed through those _beautiful mirrors_.  
  
 _Disappearing._  
  
It was something normal by that time. Simple...a part of a routine, of life if you will.  
Humans are born every day, every hour. Born to live their lives, die and years later  _be forgotten_.  
She _never_ forgot.  
She remembered all of them. It was how she lived- observing humans with sparkly eyes, truly fascinated by their different looks, decisions, behaviours, opinions.  
  
 _Something changed though._  
  
For 21 years now, she's been in front of this one mirror. Following yet another human through his days.  
  
 _He was different._  
  
He was the kindest, sweetest, bravest human she had ever seen.  
His choices did, but also did not make any sense to her.  
  
 _He wasn't like anyone she ever saw._  
  
He never chose a shortcut, he never complained, he suffered alone, the girl being the only person to witness his pain and his bitter, bloody tears.  
  
He had a name.  
 _Yes._  
Humans always did.  
  
She knew his name.  
Yes.  
A name of a brave soldier, of a modest, mysterious hero.  
A name, humanity will come to know as the name of a _saviour_.  
A name of their guardian angel, hiding in the shadows.  
  
His name was beautiful and she didn't dare use it, for she had never really met him, it would be impolite.  
She called him crow.  
He was dark, mysterious, he always knew everything as if he was watching the world from the sky.  
  
 _He was strong._  
  
Strong enough to resist every storm life sent him.  
  
 _Crow._  
  
An incredible human indeed.  
For 21 years, she has been there, watching every move he made.  
Every next step fascinated her more than the last.  
But somewhere along the way she fell in love.  
  
In love with a human?  
 _Hah_...a ridiculous thought indeed. Such a thing is impossible.  
  
 _Nonsense._  
  
To her it wasn't.  
She had been there.  
Every day, every minute of his life his _suffering_.  
  
He didn't deserve it.  
 _None of it._  
He didn't deserve to be hated, pushed away, tortured... _used._  
He didn't deserve to suffer.  
  
But the world is a cruel place.  
Life is unfair.  
He knew it all too well and so did she.  
  
He let it all happen. Followed the path life had carved for him.  
He created a plan according to it.  
  
She couldn't watch it, watch him sacrifice himself.  
  
So she decided, on that bloody, rainy day, the day his cold, limp body fell to the ground, the last of air leaving his lungs.  
  
 _The day he died._  
  
She decided for this human she would go against her kind disobey her brethren and break all the rules.  
She would crush tradition, forget the laws, rip open worlds, dimensions, the fabric of time and space.  
  
 _For this one human she would change the world._  
  
  
Ahh, such an interesting little human this boy.  
To seduce a powerful spirit, without even being conscious of it.  
To escape death and be born again in a world created for him and him only.  
  
Such a lucky, special human this boy.  
  
His name?  
What is his name, you might ask..  
 _Uchiha Itachi_


	2. The beginning

Itachi Uchiha was by no means an ordinary child.   
  
First, he was an Uchiha, the heir to the clan nonetheless.  
  
Second, he was a prodigy - born skillful, agile and durable.  
  
But there was one more unusual thing about Uchiha Itachi. He _heard_ things. He _felt_ things.  
  
 _Ahem._..correction, he _thought_ he heard things, he _thought_ he felt things, for there were _n_ o such things as ghosts or spirits.   
  
Ah, how _wrong_ had this boy been.  
  
  
It started at the age of seven. A tall man with a lifeless, dull glint in his eyes visited the Uchiha compound.   
  
Shimura Danzo.  
  
That was his name.  
  
The moment Shimura Danzo entered his line of vision, Uchiha Itachi knew that there was something off about the man.  
He was looking for recruits for his special ANBU team.  
  
 _ANBU Root._  
  
Strangely enough, his father had agreed to send a few 7-year-olds to Danzo, as he was collecting young ninja from all clans of Konoha.  
Danzo, however, had an eye on _him_.  
  
As much as Itachi wanted nothing to do with the man, he knew that if he refused to join the ANBU Root and used his position as the clan's heir (or anything really) as an excuse Danzo would come back a few years later and force his little brother to join in his stead.  
  
Itachi would have _none_ of that.   
  
His fragile baby brother was a kind, happy little boy, he could never become a killer, he could never be known as an assassin.  
  
  
Ah, how wrong had the boy been.  
  
  
''Do you wish to join ANBU Root?"  
It was a simple question which required a 'yes' or 'no' answer.   
  
Itachi knew better.  
  
The man was giving him two choices.  
1\. Join and obey Danzo Shimura and Danzo Shimura only.  
2\. Refuse and watch as Dazno Shimura makes your brother a lifeless, emotionless killing machine.  
  
His choice was obviously the first one.  
  
As he opened his mouth to answer, the answer got stuck in his throat.  
  
 _ **Don't.**_  
  
Someone whispered, a light breeze caressing the shell of his ear.  
He mentally shook his head. He was definitely hearing things.  
  
 ** _Don't._**  
  
They repeated.  
It sounded like a voice of someone, someone who was far away.  
They shouted at him, shouted not to do it, but by the time their shout reached his ears it was reduced to a breathy whisper.  
  
A _desperate_ ,  _breathy_ whisper.  
  
He ignored it and took a breath, ready to answer.  
  
It happened _again._  
  
It took all the pride, courage and self-restraint not to shift and look over his shoulder, where he _felt_ a _hand_.  
  
 _Someone was trying to stop him._  
  
He knew nothing was there, he knew no one else was in the room, yet he felt like someone- _something_ -was holding him back.  
He had decided. There was _no going back_.  
''Yes."  
And with that, his life was changed forever.  
  
He kept hearing the whispers, the pleas of someone or something which was desperately trying to _save_ him,  _protect_ him.  
During his missions the person would ask him not to go to certain places.  
At first he ignored the voice and carried on with his missions, he only wanted to be done with it all and go back to the safety and serenity of his home.  
  
 _They were right._  
  
The voice, it was right, every time it warned him it was either a dead end, the wrong way or a trap.  
  
 _He started listening._  
  
He came to realize while actually waiting for the voice to warn him again, that the owner was most definitely a _she_.  
  
The voice was _soft_ , the kind of a voice a timid, gentle person would have.  
  
Sometimes at night when he couldn't sleep he would just lay in his bed and think.  
 _Who_ was that?  
 _Why_ was she trying to warn him?  
Was he _the only one_ who could hear her?  
  
Over the years with every choice he made, every time he ignored the voice knowing that he had to do the opposite, as he had done with Danzo, the voice got weaker,  _quieter_.  
  
Her soft pleas were heard less frequently.  
  
For reasons unknown to him Itachi felt something weird.  
He felt like he _missed_ the voice.  
  
Being a prodigy he could make as many wrong choices as he pleased and still complete the mission.  
He could easily deal with almost  _anything._  
However, it was a nice feeling, to him mildly foreign, but nice nonetheless.  
  
 _Being taken care of._  
  
It felt-...it was... _pleasant_...knowing that someone was looking out for him.  
It was something Uchiha Itachi had long ago forgotten, having always been extremely mature, he'd never had a real childhood.  
He never needed anyone to take care of him, for he was able to that himself years before an average human would be.  
  
Then again, Uchiha Itachi was and still is  _no average human_.  
  
With his last mission as the Uchiha Itachi of Konohagakure no Sato her voice _disappeared_.  
  
''Do you accept this mission?" Shimura Danzo had asked.  
It was like a deja vu, it was like _back then_.  
He was given two choices.  
But both of them knew that there really was only one option.  
''Yes, Danzo-sama."  
  
  
With that her voice _disappeared._  
  
He knew.  
She knew.  
  
With that his fate was forever sealed.  
The rest of his life was determined.  
  
It was done.  
  
It could _never_ be undone.  
  
He knew.  
She knew.  
  
What Uchiha Itachi didn't know at the time, but would come to realize as the last of breath leaves his lungs and his cold body drops to his little brother's feet, was that he was _wrong._  
  
 _Oh, so very wrong._  
  
She'd make sure of it.  
She'd make sure that he gets a _new_ chance in _life._  
She'd make sure that he chooses the _right options._  
She'd make sure that he chooses _life, f_ or _life_ was what he deserved.  
  
But that was something Uchiha Itachi  _did not know_ at the time. 


	3. The end is where it all begins

He took a step forward, blood rushing from his lungs up his throat, dripping from his lips, creating a small path of crimson droplets as he inched closer.  
His Susanoo was _fading._    
His power was slowly leaving him.  
  
 _Weak._  
  
He felt weak.  
He felt weaker then ever.  
Weaker than that night.  
Weaker than the time he cried while stabbing the ones who gave life to him.  
  
 _So_ weak.  
  
He raised his hand slowly, almost tripping on his path.  
He winced inwardly.  
  
 _Burning._  
  
His muscles were burning.  
It was so _painful._  
He felt awful.  
Not because he was bleeding, not because he was dying, but because of his brother's facial expression.  
  
 _Fear._  
  
Nothing but fear.  
His little brother was _frightened._  
He slowly stepped back as Itachi came closer.  
  
He felt awful for hurting Sasuke.  
For scaring him, for haunting his nightmares, for everything.  
  
He kept slowly walking forward.  
  
 _Ah._  
  
The taste of blood.  
  
 _Disgusting._  
  
Itachi had always hated that taste of metal.  
Hemoglobin, the taste of which most compare to that of iron.  
  
Disgusting.  
  
''I'm sorry, Sasuke....this is the last time.."  
  
With one last poke, which used to annoy his little brother to no end, all strength left him.  
   
 _Shock._  
  
Shock was what Uchiha Sasuke felt.  
Shock was what Uchiha Sasuke's facial expression showed.  
  
Itachi smiled.  
He couldn't help but do so.  
Everything worked out.  
It was done.  
It all went according to the plan.  
  
 _This...was the end._  
  


* * *

  
Her eyes widened.  
He was losing strength.  
He was _barely_ walking.  
  
 _Barely breathing._  
  
The mirror was getting fogged up.  
It wasn't from steam, like it always was for humans.  
  
 _No._  
  
The 'fog' - it was black.  
Some of her brethren called it 'mist of the dead'.  
It was something black which would eventually cover a mirror.  
More and more, as the human got older, as life slowly left him, until the mirror was completely black.  
  
That was only a part of it though.  
  
Only the mirrors of those who died of old age turned black and sank into the darkness.  
 _Forever._  
  
When one is killed his mirror reacts in a different way though.  
It cracks, breaks completely.  
  
It _shatters_.  
  
And with that one's life is over.  
  
Itachi Uchiha's mirror was, however, a little bit different.  
  
It was getting fogged up by the 'mist of the dead' because of his illness.  
Not many knew of this, but Uchiha Itachi was ill.  
  
 _Very,very ill._  
  
His illness was incurable.  
He had long ago contracted the illness.  
  
He only kept himself alive by taking various medicine, along with sheer willpower to live long enough until his fated battle with his little brother.  
Aside from that it was also slowly cracking.  
  
He was _dying._  
  
No.  
  
 _No._  
  
 _No!_  
  


* * *

  
His knees gave out.  
He was _falling._  
He barely felt the force of the impact as his forehead collided with the wall next to his brother's shoulder.  
  
 _Cold._  
  
It was _so cold._  
  
 _Ah, looks like death has come for me._  
  
 _Black._  
  
He felt blind.  
Maybe he was.  
The world around him was black.  
The sounds of his surroundings died out slowly.  
The world _disappeared._  
  
 _Faded away._  
  
It was _over._  
  
 ** _Or so he thought._**  
  


* * *

  
''No, no, no, no.."   
She repeated those words again and again, hoping it was all a dream.  
  
 _It wasn't._  
  
The members of her kind _never_ dreamed.  
  
 _It was real._  
  
His body slid down against the wall and dropped to the side.  
The kindest, most compassionate, caring, forgiving, patient human...was _dead._  
  
 _His mirror cracked._  
  
It wasn't fair!  
It wasn't fair!  
  
 _The crack was getting bigger._  
  
He did not deserve to die like that!  
He did not deserve the life he had!  
He deserved _better_!  
 _So much better._  
  
 _And bigger._  
  
''I couldn't save you..."   
Her soft voice echoed.  
''I didn't..."   
For the first time in her life _she cried_.  
  
Upon touching a tear with her finger she flinched.  
''What..?"  
  
''He.."  
  
Falling in love was a foreign concept.  
  
Her kind _did not love._  
Did not _feel._  
  
They had _a duty._  
And that duty was _what kept them alive._  
  
But this young soul had found another reason to live.  
  
 ** _She screamed._**  
  


* * *

  
The last thing Itachi Uchiha felt, the last thing he heard...  
  
Was _a blood curling scream._  
  


* * *

  
She was _screaming._  
 For the first time in her life she _felt it._  
  
Humans called it _pain._  
  
Souls couldn't feel pain.  
But she was screaming.  
  
She was gripping her robes, gripping the place humans believed one's heart was at.  
  
 _It hurt._  
  
 _It hurt so much._  
  
 **Crow**  
  
Is _this_ how he lived?  
Was _this_ how he'd felt every time he thought about his _brother_?  
His _parents_?  
His _friends_?  
His _village_?  
His _clan_?  
  
 _Ahh, it was so painful._  
  
 _She screamed._  
  
The mirror was slowly fixing.  
The mist of the dead was fading.  
  
Itachi Uchiha was about to be _reborn._  
  
But there was no place for him in the universe he grew up in.  
A cruel, gruesome reality that caused him such pain.  
 _No._  
He deserved a world...a world like no other, a world of peace and serenity.  
A world like that was what she was going to give him.  
  
The dark dimension lit up.  
A flame was lit deep within her chest.  
  
 _Is this a heart?_  
She wondered briefly.  
  
The dimension spun around her.  
Her powers ripped open the fabric of time and space.  
The screams of agony of those who ended up being the collateral damage of this act filled her ears.  
  
 _Suffering._  
  
That's what he had been his whole life.  
  
 _No more._  
  
 _Never again._  
She was not going to let anyone,  _anything_ hurt him  _ever again._


	4. A broken wing

The Uchiha compound had always been a quiet place.  
Especially in the early morning hours.

A _black crow_ flew above the compound.  
It landed on a tree outside.

It was injured, its wing was _bleeding_.

A few other birds, crows like the one, flew over and landed next to the first one.

Unlike that particular crow, others weren't hurt,they looked healthy, well-fed too.

Suddenly, they started attacking the injured bird.  
 _Its own kind_.

They ripped the crow's wings off with their claws, ripped its feathers off with their beaks.  
 _One of their own._

After a few minutes of torture they flew away, leaving the poor, bloody creature on the ground alone.  
 _Leaving it to die_.  
 _Its own kind._

A soft hum was heard as a girl stepped out of the forest, passing the tree the crow had previously landed on.  
She stopped humming and turned around, her sapphire eyes stopping on the small creature on the ground.

The sapphire orbs softened as she approached it _slowly_ ,  _carefully_.  
It whimpered and twitched on the ground  _helplessly_.

She lifted it up, held it and its torn wings in her hands.

Suddenly, her hands _glowed_.  
A white light formed around the bird, warmth radiating off of her skin.  
The glow enveloped the bird.

Its wings healed, reconnected with the rest of its body slowly.  
The feathers shone, more of them growing out.  
 _It healed completely._

The bird slowly got up, standing in her hands.

_Caw_!

It made a sound of appreciation which echoed through the compound.  
With a quick movement, which resembled that of a human bow, the crow flew away.

It flew away to live a new life, as _it was given another chance to live_.  


* * *

  
_Caw!_

A sound only one bird made, one most humans dreaded, for it was said that it announced that something bad was going to happen, was heard.

 

Itachi Uchiha felt something warm.  
His eyes were closed.  
He only saw darkness anyway.

_Wait._

His hand twitched.  
Instead of feeling the cold ground, his body was left on the last time he could actually feel, he noticed that beneath him was a soft, warm surface.

_Is this what death is like?_

He tried to move, his muscles were sore.

_Very, very sore._  
Sore to the point of making Itachi not want to breathe, because even something as simple and natural as that was quite painful all of a sudden.

_Where am I?_   


Was what he wanted to know, but all was forgotten when he heard one very usual sound.

_Knocking._

* * *

  
The girl skipped happily on her way to a certain place.

Where was she going?

No one knew.

So for now let's keep it a secret, shall we?

* * *

''Itachi? Are you awake?"

Uchiha Itachi's eyes snapped open.  
He could be blind, he could be in coma, hell, he could be _dead_ (he probably was) but he would recognize that voice _anywhere._

_Mother?_

A sigh was heard on the other side of the door of a room he was in.  
Now that he could see he realized - this was his room.  
His room _in Konoha._

''Sweetie, I'm coming in, okay?"   
His mother spoke softly and the door of his room was pushed open.

His heart just _stopped._

She was _there._  
 _Right there._  
In front of him.

She was _alive._  
She was _smiling_.  
 _She was there._

_Why?_

''So you _are_ awake."  
Mikoto Uchiha said softly and patted her older son's head gently smiling.

''Come on now, you'll be late. Today is your graduation day, isn't it? Well, you've already graduated, but today you get to meet your teammates."  
She grinned and this time ruffled his hair.

Was this what death was supposed to be like?  
Reliving your life again and again...was that it?

He nodded and got up.  
 _Ah, so painful._  
It was so painful to move.  
However, Itachi Uchiha had never in his life showed any signs of being in pain, of weakness and he wasn't about to start now that he was dead.

''I'm going to check on Sasuke, ok? Breakfast is ready and your lunch is in the kitchen. Good luck today, dear."  
Mikoto Uchiha kissed his forehead and left the room, leaving her older son there frozen.

He _knew_ she was going to do that.  
Mikoto Uchiha was a loving, caring, kind mother, something like that was to be expected of her.

But he knew she was going to that, because she'd already done it!  
 _The morning after his graduation day!_  
When he was _alive and 7 years old!_

A wave of pain shot through his body and he gripped his head tightly.  
Itachi felt like it was going to _explode._  
A minute or so later the pain just disappeared.  
He noticed that his body, indeed, was that of a 7-year-old boy.

Itachi glanced at his desk and noticed his headband there.  
This time a wave of nostalgia hit him, as he traced the lines of the symbol of Konoha with his fingers.  
He shook his head and got dressed.  
    
 _Let's see what this is all about._

* * *

  
A pale,sapphire-eyed girl walked slowly, looking at everything around her.  
Staring with such amusement.

She seemed so impressed by absolutely everything.  
The girl looked foreign.

So _pale._  
So _small._  
So _fragile._  
So _pure._

It was only natural, for she did not _belong_ in the human world.  
It was only natural to stand out the way she did.  
And she was fine with it.

_She was free._

* * *

  
''...and Uchiha Itachi. Now, team 4.."

Itachi blinked upon hearing his name.  
He was trying to understand what was happening.  
Having been so deep in thought he didn't even realize that his team had been announced.

''Looks like we are teammates from now on, eh?"  
His best friend Uchiha Shisui grinned next to him.  
Itachi just nodded.

Looks like he was going to meet his new teammates.  
 After everyone had been put into teams of 3, the teacher left and it was time for their sensei to show up.

''I'm here for the 3rd squad."  
A man Itachi knew entered and looked around, searching for squad 3.  
''Oh, Setsuna-san, you are our teacher?"   
Shisui questioned their cousin.

''Yes."  
Said cousin answered shortly.  
''Why?"  
Shisui asked.  
''Who is better to teach Uchihas than an Uchiha?"   
Uchiha Setsuna answered with a question of his own. 

''Let's go."   
And with a few handsigns, they disappeared.

Uchiha Itachi opened his eyes and looked around.  
All of them were now on the 3rd training ground.

''Setsuna-san,what about our third teammate?"  
His best friend questioned.

''Ohayo...."

A soft, kind of familiar voice was heard behind them.  
The Uchihas turned around to see their teammate.

_And there she was._

* * *

  
He turned around and her heart skipped a beat.

He was there now.  
They were in the same dimension.

She could easily reach out and touch him, not a mirror, not a refection.. _him._

''Hello...my name is Tsukino, _Tsukino Akira_."

  
**Akira - _bright/clear_  
Tsukino - _Moon field_**   



	5. Of missions and mysteries

_''Hello....my name is Tsukino, Tsukino Akira..."_  
Who was this strange girl?  
Why did she sound  _familiar_..?  
  
There was something weird about the girl.  
Sure, she was pale and well...simply unusual _looking,_ but Uchiha Itachi never paid much attention to one's appearance.  
  
 _No._  
  
There was something else about her...something..  
He just couldn't put a finger on it.  
Something wasn't right and he knew it.  
  
Uchiha Itachi had a memory like no other.  
Even without his Sharingan, he remembered every name, every face, every place.  
He always remembered even the _tiniest of details._  
  
Yet, he did not recall having this girl in his class.  
And he remembered _everything._  
He did not remember seeing her, talking to her, not even walking past her on one of his many missions.  
  
If he was re-living his life then...Who was she and what was she doing here?  
  
Those were some of the questions Uchiha Itachi could not answer at that moment.  
  


* * *

  
She noticed the way he looked at her.   
 _Analyzing._  
  
He was analyzing her _head to toe._  
Approximate height, weight, her agility, her chakra nature and pretty much anything he could from just looking at her.  
  
Uchiha Shisui, on the other hand, was doing quite the opposite.  
''Hi! My name is Uchiha Shisui!"  
He introduced himself right away to which she nodded and smiled.  
  
''It is very nice to meet you, Uchiha Shisui-san."  
She had learned over the years of observing humans which level of politeness one should use with different people.  
She wanted to show him that she was different from other girls.  
She wanted him to _notice her._  
  
''Oh and this is Itachi, he's kinda quiet."  
The more relaxed young Uchiha introduced his cousin.  
''He is also the heir of the Uchiha clan."  
Said Uchiha smiled, thinking about the future and his best friend/cousin as the clan leader.  
  
''I am delighted to meet you at last."  
She said softly and bowed.  
''Likewise."  
The heir acknowledged her with a nod.  
She smiled on the outside, but was actually dancing on the inside.  
  
Crow-  
 _No._  
  
 _Itachi_...he-...we've finally met..  
  


* * *

  
Itachi Uchiha noticed a few things about the strange little girl.  
She was _definitely not_ from Konoha.  
He knew the ninja of Konoha and even most of the civilians, if not their names, then their faces.  
She wasn't one of them.  
   
She was also very short.  
Now, most Uchihas were fairly tall and Uchiha Itachi was no exception.  
At the age of 7 he was almost as tall as an average ninja at the age of 13.*  
The girl was about 130cm tall.  
Itachi, however was around 146cm tall.  
Shisui was only slightly shorter than him, but still much taller than the girl.  
  
She also looked extremely light.  
About...30kg?  
Itachi himself never weighted as much as a man/boy his age would, due to his exhausting training sessions and lack of unhealthy food, such as bowls and bowls of _ramen_ (*cough* *cough*) or something similar.  
The girl wasn't exactly anorexic, she _was_ however, skinny.  
  
Which brings us to the question the answer of which bothered Itachi the most.  
Not that anything about her really bothered him he just...let's call it _curiosity_.  
And let's just all remember -  _curiosity killed the cat._  
How did such a tiny little child become a ninja?  
  
Now, Itachi knew that one's opponent should _never_ be underestimated.  
He also knew that the deadliest of poisons came in tiny bottles.  
He knew that in the Shinobi world existed many children who were assassins, rouge or worse.  
  
But this particular girl looked very...very fragile.  
Too fragile to be a ninja.  
She wasn't in the academy, yet, here they are.   
 ** _Team 3._**  
  
''Oh and this is Itachi, he's kinda quiet."  
The more relaxed young Uchiha introduced him.  
''He is also the heir of the Uchiha clan."  
Shisui smiled to himself. He used to do that a lot before they joined the Root.  
  
''I am delighted to meet you at last."  
She said softly and bowed.  
''Likewise."  
He acknowledged her with a nod.  
  
''Get to know each other a little. I'll be back shortly for your first training."  
Their sensei disappeared, leaving the trio alone on the training ground.  
  
He wanted to know more about the girl.  
He knew there was something he'd missed.  
He also knew that he didn't need to ask any questions - his cousin would do that for him.  
  
''So Akira-chan, where are you from? I haven't seen you around here."   
Yes _, that_ was the question.  
Uchiha Itachi always predicted and planned ahead.  
His plans were almost always  _absolutely perfect._  
 _Without a single flaw._  
  
It was the only way Uchiha Itachi knew how to plan.  
Think everything through, every detail, every possible scenario.  
 _Until it's flawless._  
  
Then, as everything went according to his plan he would do what he was best at.  
 _Observe._  
He would hide in the shadows, watch the story unfold and simply observe.  
Analyze, collect every piece of information, because that's exactly what this heir was born to do.  
 _A perfect spy._  
  
Hell, he was Konoha's strongest Uchiha, double agent and also both Konoha's and Akatsuki's spy in many places.  
If the girl tried to lie, he would know, for there was no human alive who could deceive the Uchiha Itachi.  
After all, not even the legendary Uchiha Madara was able to do that.  
  
So, knowing that his cousin was going to ask questions he folded his arms and observed.  
  


* * *

  
She knew what he was doing.  
His cousin was probably unaware of it, but she had been watching him do the same thing over and over again.  
  
 _She knew._  
  
If she wanted to keep her identity a secret, at least for the time being, she would have to play her cards right.  
  
''Hai, that is because I am not from Konoha."  
She answered softly.  
  
He wasn't supposed to know.  
 _Not yet._  
  


* * *

  
No stuttering, no pauses, her voice did not waver, did not change at all.  
 _No signs of...anything._  
  
There were many ways to know when someone was lying.  
They would make those short 'um' and 'uh' noises, they would pause, think about their lie.  
Even the master liars had one, only one little thing, an unnoticeable detail which gave them away.  
  
 _Nothing._  
  
Even when someone wasn't lying their facial expression should change with the emotions they feel.  
Their bodies should give them away, because liars rarely pay any attention to their body language.  
But no.  
  
 _Nothing._  
  
He _couldn't tell._  
  
It was as if she wasn't lying, but as if she wasn't telling the truth either.  
 _Nothing._  
No emotion, no pauses, her heartbeat was nice and steady, her body was relaxed, it did not even twitch.  
 _Nothing._  
For once in his life Uchiha Itachi was _intrigued._  
The only person able to do that, erase all emotions and suspicious movements during a conversation, was Itachi himself.  
 _Looks like he's found himself a match._  
  


* * *

  
She glanced at him, he seemed to be thinking about something.  
She smiled to herself.  
 _He's already figured it out._  
  
 _She knew he would._  
  
He always knew everything even before it happened.  
She'd watched him for years.  
She'd learned how to do that _from him._  
  
 _Perfect posture, tone of voice always even, facial expressions - nonexistent._  
  
It was a secret of the _perfect liar._  
It was _his_ secret.  
Well... _their_ secret.  
  
 _He'd noticed her._  
  
And maybe..just maybe...he was _a little_ _amused._  
  


* * *

  
''So where _are_ you from?''  
  
''I don't know actually. I do not have any memories of the place I was born in or my family. I've been living in a small civilian village until now. A retired jonin taught me everything I know and because of that, I decided to become a ninja"  
  
''I see. So you don't remember your family at all?"  
''No, I have no memories of them."  
  
''What are your powers then?"  
She smiled.  
''Shinobi should never reveal their secrets...."  
  
''Hmm...what is your favorite animal?"  
''A crow."  
Itachi blinked.  
  
''What is you favorite food?"  
''I do not have one."  
  
''What about your hobbies?"  
''My hobbies are reading, training, cooking...there are many of them."  
  
''What do you dislike?"  
''I dislike evil people. I dislike those who make others suffer and spill innocent blood. I despise them."  
  
''What do you like?"  
''I like many things. I like nature, animals, flowers, I like honest, kind people and many, many other things."  
  
''Why did you even decide to become a ninja?"  
And there she paused.  
''There is someone I must help. Someone I must save. A person very precious to me. There is someone I must protect."  
  


* * *

  
They were here.  
Together at last.  
 _This is where her mission starts.  
_

* * *

  
She was _a mystery_.  
 _Uchiha Itachi liked mysteries._  
This was going to be amusing, to say the least.  
  


_***at the age of 13 Naruto and Sasuke were about 150cm tall...** _


	6. Of songs and voices

''Alright team! Starting today our goal is to finish the number of D-rank missions needed for entering the Chuunin Exam which will be held in two months. I believe all of you will work hard, finish those and do a few C-rank missions along the way as well. It is only to be expected of this team to impress Hokage-sama with its extraordinary success."

Itachi couldn't help but notice, as it was painfully obvious, that Uchiha Setsuna, the so called sensei of this team, did not care about the third teammate in the slightest.

The man was obviously not interested in the girl at all.  
He acted as if she wasn't good enough to be his student.  
Sensei paid almost no attention to her as she wasn't an Uchiha, therefore not as important as Shisui and himself.

It seemed to him that Uchiha Setsuna saw the girl as a minor setback of the team.  
When he tested their skills, Itachi and Shisui fought each other for about 15 minutes or so, but the g- Akira, the sensei only tested her to see if she knew how to throw a kunai, do Kawarimi no Jutsu and dodge shuriken.

He wasn't supposed to care.  
Really, he _wasn't._  


But for some reason it _bothered_ him.

_Ahem_ , correction, it _only slightly bothered him._

The girl seemed to be a well-mannered child though.  
She kept quiet every time he talked about the team, as it was very evident that she was, in every discussion, an annoyance to him and his 'outstanding team'.

He did not, however, just bluntly say that.  
 _Of course not._

Uchihas had a way of dealing with things and bluntly expressing your hostility towards an individual c _ertainly_ wasn't that way.  
 _No._  
He simply indicated that she was not needed in the team in a way that almost made it seem innocent.  
 _Almost._  


* * *

  
Akira knew the sensei didn't like her.

She knew he only saw her as an obstacle to other teammates and hoped she'd be eliminated in the Chuunin exam.  
Quite frankly, she did not care.

To her his opinion was absolutely,  _utterly irrelevant._

She wasn't there to gain his respect.  
She wasn't there to gain his approval.  
She was there for _Itachi._  
Akira was there to impress _him_  thus gaining  _his_ trust and respect, so that one day she could tell him the truth,  _the story of his death._

But that day was still in the very,  _very distant future._  
And the only thing she could do now is show that she was above some simple village girl with hopes of becoming a kunoichi.  
Akira wasn't going to argue with the sensei.  
She wasn't going to show emotion over a little provocation like this.  
 _She was above that._

She was, after all, as humans say _blue-blooded._  
So Akira kept her head high, her voice soft and low and her posture perfect even when her sensei clearly stated that he did not need or want her as a part of his team.

_He was just a human._

She could easily _kill_ him.  
Her kin were  _very dangerous_ for humans.  
She was the closest thing to what they called in old stories and legends a death god.

He was no obstacle in her eyes.  
Just a pesky little insect she could destroy with a snap of her fingers.

But she loved humans.  
She would never destroy someone who she did not even see as a threat.

If he ever tried to kill her, or _God forbid_ , harm Itachi or Shisui-kun, he would drop dead immediately.

Speaking about Shisui, she came to like the kind Uchiha.  
He reminded her of a blond, happy, hyperactive ninja who would in a few decades become a Hokage.  
Shisui was a very relaxed, kind and compassionate human.  
  
She'd known him for only 3 days and she already felt very comfortable around him.  
He was always very positive about everything, very funny but polite too.  
She knew how he'd died too.  
His mirror had been close to Itachi's.  
Until it shattered.  
  
She had liked him even before meeting him in person.  
He was a brave human.  
  
Even in his last minutes, he'd stayed strong.  
He'd given his eye to Itachi, leaving him with a smile.  
Yes.  
She liked Uchiha Shisui a lot.  
  
''We start the D-rank missions today! First on the list is helping an old man who lives close to the southern gate. Let's go."  
   
 _My first mission!  
Here we go!_

* * *

  
''Ohoho! I used to be a ninja like you kids!"  
The old man said proudly.  
  
Genin of the Team 3 were walking next to him, carrying his groceries to his house.  
''Eeh?! You serious Jiji?"   
Shisui got a little excited.  
  
''Of course boy! I was strong and fast! A jonnin you know!"  
''And now you can't even carry a few bags of groceries!"  
Shisui grinned as the man huffed and crossed his arms like a child.  
  
''Where did that sensei of yours go anyway?"  
''Sensei had to go to an emergency jonnin meeting, Kyouji-san. He'll be back by the time we finish pulling weeds in your garden."  
Akira answered softly and smiled at the man.  
  
The boys were given bags of groceries to carry and Akira, being a girl, was given the man's little dog.  
A pug called Rei.  
''Ahh, you must be a very nice child. Rei-chan only likes kind people you know."  
It seemed to Itachi that the man said 'you know' quite a lot.  
  


He was walking on the man's right, next to Shisui, Akira was on his left with 'Rei-chan'.  
Itachi glanced at the girl for a second.  
She was smiling and poking the dog's snout with her finger.  
The pug snorted and licked said finger happily.  
She chuckled and patted its head.  
  
Itachi found being licked by a dog mildly disgusting, but looking at her it didn't really look that bad.  
  
''Man, looking at her makes me wanna get a dog to lick me!"  
Shisui voiced his thoughts.  
  
 _She was definitely a strange one._  
  


* * *

  
''Alright kiddies! Rei-chan and I will go and make you some lemonade! You'll probably be thirsty after the weed pulling."   
Kyouji-san said and smiled at the group as Akira put the dog down.  
It followed the man into the house.  
  
Team 3 could see someone moving inside.  
''Ah, Rei, there you are! Did gramps take you shopping again? Oh...you smell nice!"   
A boy around their age picked the pug up and looked at them.  
  
''Oh, hey, you guys must be the genin gramps told me about. I'm Hikaru."  
The boy introduced himself.  
  
''I'm Shisui, this is Itachi and the girl is Akira."  
''It's very nice to meet you."  
Akira said softly and smiled at the boy.  
   
He blushed.  
Ah, humans have the most unpredictable of reactions to such simple things.  
Akira couldn't help but grin at that.  
  


She found it very fascinating how one's face changed its natural color to a red-ish version of it upon being embarrassed or near a person humans called 'a crush'.  
It was the first time she'd ever seen someone blush and not through a mirror.  
  
 _Fascinating._  
  
''Hikaru! Come here and help me with these lemons!"  
,,Comin' gramps!"  
  
Itachi turned around and walked towards the garden.  
''I guess we should start pulling weeds." Shisui mumbled, shrugged and followed.  
Akira smiled at the sky and ran after them.  
  


* * *

  
  
After finishing their first D-rank mission Team 3 had a little break and waited for their sensei.  
Said sensei arrived with a poof of smoke.  
''Alright. I have the details of our next mission. Let's go."  
And the man turned around and started walking.  
  
''Thanks for your help kids!"  
The old man said.  
''No problem old man!"  
Shisui grinned and waved.  
  
''Ano..um..Akira-s-san..will I see you again?"  
Kyouji-san's grandson fidgeted.  
''It is likely,Hikaru-kun."  
The girl said, oblivious to the boy's feelings.  
''A-Ah, ok then. See you!"  
Itachi turned around and followed their sensei, not missing Akira's smile.  
She followed the team as well.  
  
They stopped when they were outside the yard.  
''Our next mission will be babysitting for a woman who lives a few streets away. Let's go."  
Setsuna announced and they were off.  
  


* * *

  
15 minutes later Akira was taking care of a baby, Shisui was entertaining 5-year-old twins and Setsuna and Itachi were outside talking.  
  
''This morning I left out something. Itachi, a very powerful man called Danzo Shimura wants you and Shisui as a part of his special ANBU team. As soon as you become chuunin both your father as the leader of our clan and myself, as your sensei, will recommend you two for the positions of jonnin. Then Danzo-san will use his influence to make you both ANBU and he'll persuade the elders to side with him and convince the Hokage to let him take you under his wing."  
  
Itachi just nodded.  
The same thing was happening, it was under different circumstances, but it was going to end the same anyway.  
Setsuna nodded back and turned around.  
''I have a clan meeting in 10 minutes, here is the information about all the other missions you will be doing today, you will lead this team when I'm absent."  
  
Itachi nodded again and the man walked away.  
  
Itachi walked into the house and the first thing he saw was Shisui running around with twins attached to his legs.  
The children were giggling, holding onto Shisui's legs tightly and yelling 'faster!', Shisui was grinning and speeding up.  
  
''Be careful."  
Was all Itachi said, earning an even bigger grin and a salute from his cousin/best friend.  
''Aye, aye captain!"  
He shouted.  
''Aye, aye captain!"   
The twins repeated.  
  
Itachi held back the urge to smile.  
He'd missed Shisui.  
It was nice seeing him so happy and relaxed.  
  
''Where is sensei?"  
''Clan meeting."  
''Oh..okay! If you're looking for Aki-chan she's upstairs in the bedroom, trying to get the baby to sleep."  
Itachi restrained himself from raising a brow at Shisui's new nickname for the female of the team.  
  
He shrugged it off and headed upstairs to check on the third child of the family and the previously mentioned female.  
  


* * *

  
 _Once upon a time there was a little boy.  
He grew to be a killer, an evil wizard's toy._  
  
Itachi stopped in front of the bedroom.  
It was a story, but she was quietly singing it and he had to admit, she had a decent voice.  
  
 _But actually the hero had a plan,  
to right his wrongs and make one strong,  
he saw it through 'till the end._  
  
Itachi leaned against a wall and closed his eyes.  
Somehow this helped him think.  
He stood there listening to her whisper, trying to understand everything that was happening.  
  
 _A fairy was in love with him, decided she would help,  
she wouldn't let his story end in death._  
  
He sighed and pushed himself off the wall.  
  
Itachi walked into the room and saw Akira sitting in front of a crib.  
She was holding the child in her hands, rocking it back and forth and singing softly.  
He took a moment to admire the simple, yet beautiful sight.  
  
She stopped and smiled down at the child.  
The sight reminded him of Sasuke and himself.  
  
He remembered that it would soon be the time of Kyuubi's attack and sighed again.  
Sasuke was born on July 23rd.  
He glanced at the calendar.  
Soon.  
   
The Kyuubi attacked Konoha on October 10th.  
And the Chuunin Exam had been postponed a few times and in the end had taken place later than it had been intended to, due to the damage the Kyuubi had done.  
During the attack, Itachi was at home, protecting Sasuke.  
He really wasn't looking forward to reliving that.  
  


* * *

  
Akira heard someone sigh behind her.  
  
Looking over her shoulder, she noticed Itachi standing there.  
He seemed to be deep in thought.  
  
 _Sensei probably told him about Danzo._  
  
Her powers weren't strong enough to stop events such as the Kyuubi's attack and Danzo's forming of ANBU Root from happening, but she had a plan ready for every possible scenario.  
  
Itachi glanced at the calendar and then stared at the floor.  
She opened her mouth to say something, but didn't know how to start.  
What was she supposed to call him?  
Itachi?  
Itachi-kun?  
She shivered.  
 _Hell no._  
Um...Itachi-san?  
Maybe Uchiha-san?  
  
The child in her arms shifted a little, getting her attention.  
''Shh..."  
She rocked said child slowly and soon the baby girl was asleep.  
Akira couldn't help but smile once again.  
  
Humans were so interesting.  
 _So beautiful._  
Especially human children.  
They were incredible creatures.  
  
She heard footsteps and realized that Itachi was leaving.  
''You have a younger brother,right?'  
She didn't think.  
She just blurted it out.  
Itachi stopped.  
''Yes."  
  
''Shisui-kun said his name was Sasuke..''  
''It is."  
  
She grinned to herself.  
She was finally talking to him.  
  
''You must know a lot about children since you have a little brother."  
''Hn."  
 She got up and gently placed the baby girl into the crib.  
  
''Is sensei downstairs?''  
''He had to attend a clan meeting."  
''Ah...alright. I guess you are in charge then."  
''Indeed."  
  
She nodded and walked past him.  
He blinked and followed her downstairs.  
Shisui was sitting on the couch and panting.  
The twins were pulling his sleeves and repeating 'Do it again!'.  
  


* * *

  
Akira chuckled and approached them.  
''Hello there."  
She said softly and smiled at them.  
  
''This...is a lot harder than I thought it would be..''  
Shisui mumbled and threw his head back.  
  
She laughed.  
It was a pleasant sound.   
  
''Nee-chan! Play with us!"  
The boys said in unison.  
She patted their heads gently.  
  
''Alright. How about I tell you guys a story?"  
The children looked at each other and grinned.  
''Yay! A story!"  
  
She sat on the couch next to Shisui, who was now also paying attention.  
One twin sat on her lap and the other one on Shisui's.  
  
''Once upon a time, there was a brave, mysterious warrior.  
He was very well-know as a prince of a very strong country, a loyal servant of the King of their world.  
Other warriors looked up to him and young maidens wished for a husband like him.  
He had many admirers.  
He traveled around the world and fought evil monsters and people, for the King.  
One day, an evil wizard visited his country.  
He pretended to be the King's best friend and said he was forming a unit of young, brave, powerful knights to destroy all evil and protect the King and the world.  
The warrior joined the wizard's unit, in hopes of saving the world from evil and creating a peaceful world for his friends and family.  
The wizard lied to him and manipulated him.  
He made the world think of the prince as the villain.  
The prince accepted his new role and kept taking care of what was left of his family from the shadows.  
Everyone called him a traitor and pushed him away.  
Those who used to admire him now despised him, those who used to respect him were now hunting him down, trying to kill him-"  
  
''Poor prince!"  
  
''Yes, he was truly in a very bad situation.  
A few days before the wizard's betrayal his best friend, a white knight, visited him.  
He was wounded and the last thing he gave the prince, before he died, was his sword and a black cape.  
From that day on, the prince was known as the black knight.  
The prince knew that for the world to sort itself out and become a nice, safe place, he'd have to die-''  
  
''Ohh, no! Did he really die!?"  
   
''Actually...Somewhere in a faraway land lived a fairy.  
She was a descendant of white witches, with powers to kill, but also to help humans.  
She had a magic mirror.  
The mirror showed her whatever she wished to see.  
And she wished to know the truth.  
And so she found out about the wizard, the white knight and the back knight's plan."  
  
''Did she save him!? Did she stop him!?"  
  
''She couldn't, their worlds were so far apart.  
She used the powers of her mirror and her own powers to save the prince's soul just before he died.  
She walked through the mirror and ordered it to shatter after they enter it.  
And it did.  
They were sent to a new world, one the fairy had created.  
And in that world she helped him defeat the evil wizard and make the world a safe place he'd always wanted it to be."  
  
''Why did she help him? She could've just told everyone about the truth and then everything would've gone back to normal, right?"  
  
''Indeed, she could have.  
But when she tried to tell them no one believed it.  
They were convinced that what the wizard had said was the truth, since he was the King's best friend.  
They didn't believe her.  
And she helped him, because she knew that the prince was a good person.  
She knew that he deserved a better life and so she decided to make sure he gets it...  
She was in love with him."  
  
''So did they live happily ever after!?"  
  
''....Yes...yes they did...Now how about some lunch?"  
''What are we having!?"  
''What do you boys like?"  
''We like onigiri!"  
''Than that's what we're having."  
''Yay! Onigiri!"  
  
She kissed the boys' foreheads and made her way towards the kitchen.  
''Interesting story."   
He commented.  
She smiled.  
''Indeed."  
And she walked away.  
  


* * *

  
A mystery.  
That's what she was.  
 _A real mystery._


	7. Of lunches and mischief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we start, as far as I know, it had never been said what Uchiha Mikoto was actually like. Since we all know that Fugaku is a stick in the mud, I imagine Mikoto as his opposite. With her family- a kind, caring, gentle, a little mischievous, cool mom and with others- the beautiful and proud jonnin and the Uchihas' leader's wife. She will, in this story be shown as such, as I do not know exactly what she was like.

''This will be your first C-Rank mission. I expect it to be completed without any problems and at least two days earlier than the Hokage estimated we would need for its completion. The mission is quite simple. We have to deliver a box of scrolls to a priest in the Tea country. Pack your things and meet me here in 3 hours. The sooner we depart, the sooner we'll be back."

Uchiha Setsuna left his students with those words and a look which pretty much screamed 'be here on time or else-".  
He disappeared, leaving the children with 3 hours to get ready and meet up.

''Well, let's go, shall we?"  
The shorter of the two remaining Uchihas asked, offering the lady of the team his arm.  
With the sweetest of giggles she linked their arms, earning a smile from the Uchiha.

''Let us escort the lady home like the gentlemen we are! What do you say Itachi?"  
Shisui Uchiha grinned at his cousin.

Uchiha Itachi responded with a nod.  
He wanted to see the place a person like Tsukino Akira would live in, so he agreed.  
''Awesome! Let's go then!"

And they started walking.  
During the walk the heir of the Uchiha clan listened while his cousin chatted with their teammate.  
Occasionally the cousin tried to pull him into the conversation too, but Itachi did not trust the girl yet, so his answers were short and curt.

* * *

  
Itachi had refused to tell his mother about his new team and teammate, as he knew she would ask him to introduce the girl of the team to her and he did not want the suspicious female near his family.  
This was only _one_ of the reasons Itachi was becoming increasingly annoyed after passing Konoha's most popular shopping street.

After another 5 minutes he stopped and with a sigh, decided to speak.

''Mother, what are you doing?"

Uchiha Mikoto was, before her marriage, a well-known jonnin.  
She had hidden her chakra well enough.  
Well enough was not even _nearly_ good enough to fool Itachi Uchiha and his sensory abilities.

The beautiful, dark-haired female stepped onto the road, having previously been hidden behind a tree.  
In her arms were a few bags of groceries.  
The woman took a few steps forward, looking around as if she was just taking a stroll and happened to come across her oldest son and his team she wanted to know about so much.

After 3 steps she 'noticed' the team and stopped.

''Oh, Itachi! Hello, what are you guys doing here?"

The woman waved and came closer, a mischievous smile on her lips.

Uchiha Shisui chuckled.  
He too, knew why the woman was smiling that way.  
She finally had an excuse to find out everything that had been bothering her and her son didn't, for some reason, want to tell her.

''My, my isn't this your new team Itachi!? It's nice to meet you, I'm Itachi's mother, Uchiha Mikoto."  
The woman introduced herself, glancing at her son for only a second.  
A second was long enough for him to notice the 'I win' glint in her eyes.

He sighed.  
His mother was such a strange woman.

* * *

  
Akira,of course knew of his mother.

Uchiha Mikoto.  
The beautiful, caring and kind, the wife of the leader of all Uchihas - Uchiha Fugaku.  
Uchiha Mikoto, the strongest of all Uchiha women.

She found the woman very likable.  
Uchiha Mikoto was unlike most Uchihas - very bright, friendly and gentle.

Itachi definitely took after his mother.

She smiled brightly at the woman and bowed.  
''It is a pleasure to meet you at last Uchiha Mikoto-sama. My name is Tsukino Akira and I am your son's teammate. I have heard a lot about you."

Mikoto glanced at Shisui, a hand on her hip.  
He gave her thumbs up and threw an arm over the girl's shoulder.  
''Auntie don't look at me like that! I told her just positive things!"

''He really did. I've heard about your impressive achievements as a kunoichi and about your beauty ,but now that I've seen you in person, I must say, you've surpassed my expectations."

Akira said and smiled once again.  
Uchiha Mikoto studied her for a moment and then grinned.  
''I like her! Such a sweet girl! Tell me dear, Itachi is treating you nicely, right?"

''Mother you haven't answered my question."  
The young heir cut in.  
Akira decided to ignore Itachi like his mother had done and answer the question, as it would be extremely impolite to ignore it, even if it was for Itachi.

''He is. Both of my teammates are very kind to me and for that I'm truly grateful."  
The girl responded softly.

''Mother."  
It was the moments like this and this stern tone of voice which reminded all Uchihas just whose son Itachi was.  
''Yes, dear?"  
Mikoto said innocently.  
''You haven't answered my question."  
The heir repeated, clearly annoyed.

''Oh, I haven't? Hahaha, how silly of me! I apologize dear, what was the question again?"  
She knew the question.  
Her memory was that of a jonnin.  
A jonnin could not possibly forget the question asked only a few minutes ago.

Uchiha Shisui snickered.

* * *

  
The heir's left eye twitched.  
She was doing it on purpose.

She'd won.  
Mikoto introduced herself to the girl of their team and now, she was simply gloating.  
She knew how hard Itachi was trying to stop this for happening.  
He was doing it to protect her.  
She, however, thought his reason for doing what he was doing was different.  
Very, very different.

''What are you doing?"  
He repeated the question.  
She grinned.  
Annoying her eldest son was even more fun than annoying Fugaku!

''Well shopping of course!"  
She held up the bags.  
''Mother.."

Itachi _almost_ growled.  
She knew he was asking what she had been doing behind the tree, not what she had been doing in general, but Mikoto decided to answer the way she did just to waltz on his nerves a little bit.  
''Yes, dear?"  
She asked innocently, barely hiding her grin.

He sighed.  
There was no point in trying to argue _or_ reason with her.  
''We are leaving."  
He announced.

His mother followed him and smiled.  
''Where are you going? Do you guys have a mission?"

Before Itachi had a chance to speak Shisui cut in.  
''We have to meet up with our sensei in 3 hours. That's when the mission starts. We were about to walk Aki-chan home, when we bumped into you, Auntie."

Itachi sighed.  
Was today 'Annoy Itachi day'?

A sparkle appeared in his mother's eyes.  
 _That sparkle._

_The_ sparkle, the appearance of which never brought anything good.  
 _She got an idea._  
''Is that so.."  
The woman dragged out.

''Well, why don't we all have lunch together!"  
 _And there it was._  
The idea Itachi really did not want his mother to think of.

''We get to eat something you cook!? Awesome!"  
Uchiha Shisui grinned.

''Everyone is invited Akira-chan! You are coming with us,too!"  
Mikoto almost sang.

* * *

To say that Akira was _happy_ would be an understatement.  
To say that Akira was _thrilled_ would also be an understatement.

But she noticed the way Itachi was acting.  
It clearly wasn't his day and she did not want to make it even worse.  
He was probably having a hard time dealing with the new world she'd dragged him into.

Itachi really did not need any more problems to deal with or things to worry about.

''I am truly honored, but I'm afraid I must pass up on your offer. Thank you for inviting me though."  
Akira stopped and bowed with another smile.

''Ah no, no, no. I insist! You are coming with us!''

And so she was dragged away by a happy, mischievous Uchiha woman.

* * *

  
Itachi was _not happy._  
Itachi was not happy _at all._

His mother was inviting a mysterious stranger into their home.  
The home his helpless baby brother lived in.

Many wanted him and/or Sasuke dead or captured.  
Many tried to harm them in order to blackmail or control his father.

If there was one thing Itachi disliked it was having strangers in his home.  
Not being able to relax outside the compound was frustrating enough, but not being able to relax in his own home was just about driving him mad.

 

_Mother....you will be the death of me._

* * *

  
The moment they entered the compound all eyes were on her.  
Uchihas _did not_ like strangers.  
They did not like strangers _at all._

She was fine with it.  
Akira kept her eyes fixed straight forward.

She did not flinch.  
She did not look away or down.

She walked proudly and gracefully.  
 _As a goddess ought to._

And eventually they reached the house.  
A pair of big sandals caught her attention.  
 _So he is home._

Akira was about to face the biggest challenge.  
The most ruthless of all Uchihas.  
The one who _hated_ strangers.

_The leader - Uchiha Fugaku._

And she was ready.

* * *

  
As they passed through one of many hallways of his house, Uchiha Itachi noticed that his father was in a meeting.  
Just great, he was going to be in a _lovely_ mood.

''Shisui, could you put these away, you know where everything goes..I have to check on my little Sasu-chan."  
Mikoto Uchiha waltzed out and into the hallway, leaving the members of team 3 in the living room, which was connected to the kitchen.  
Itachi sat down and sighed.  
''Aki-chan,you should sit down, don't bother waiting for his permission! He is as talkative as a mute!"  
Uchiha Shisui joked, shouting from the kitchen.

The girl giggled and slowly sat down, not before receiving a nod of approval from Itachi though.  
Shisui joined them and then Mikoto came back.  
She brought someone with her too.

''This is my little Sasu-chan!"  
The woman said proudly, showing off her younger son.

''He is adorable."  
Akira commented, smiling at the fascinating young human.

''Oh, would you like to hold him? I have to make some tea anyway."  
As soon as those worlds left Uchiha Mikoto's mouth, her son sent her a glare which could make Chuck Norris cry.

Was she sane?!  
Giving his little brother to some random girl!  
It was official, his mother had lost her mind.

''I don't think he'd enjoy a company of a stranger like myself."  
The girl said politely.

''You are too nice! Here just hold him like this! There you go!"

And she ended up holding the Uchihas' leader's younger son.  
The child opened one eye to see who was holding him now.  
(His mother just LOVED showing him off)  
Upon seeing an unfamiliar face the baby shifted a little, not understanding why a stranger was holding him.

Akira smiled.  
He was just majestic.  
Such a creature...simply majestic.  
She held him gently, but firmly and rocked him back and forth.

Her aura was, by itself, very calming and her pure and innocent appearance only made her seem more harmless.  
Most humans were relaxed around her.  
The younger Uchiha brother was no exception.  
He closed his eye and enjoyed the gentle touch and hum which was a music to his little ears.

''Aww! Look at you two! Akira-chan, you will definitely be a great mother! Isn't that right boys!?"  
Uchiha Mikoto said happily, wiggling her eyebrows at Itachi, who only lightly shook his head at his mother's childish behavior.

Uchiha Shisui, on the other hand burst out laughing.

Akira smiled at the woman.  
''Thank you very much, Mikoto-sama."  
She said softly and returned her attention to the child in her arms.

''Oh, no need for that -sama there, dear! Just Mikoto is fine!"  
The woman said happily and then went to the kitchen to check on that tea.

* * *

  
Akira had noticed that Itachi was most definitely not comfortable with her holding his fragile little brother.  
She'd held him for a few minutes, just to please the woman who had invited her to join them in the first place.

When said woman left the room to quickly check on the tea, she took the opportunity to hand the child to its brother.

''I believe Sasuke-san will be more comfortable in your arms."  
She said softly and handed Sasuke to Itachi.

The moment their arms brushed she felt electricity.  
 _Such a pleasant feeling._

And then _he_ walked into the room.

* * *

  
The moment Uchiha Fugaku walked into the room one could feel the tension in the air.

The children immediately got up.  
Shisui bowed.  
''Ohayo, Fugaku-sama."  
He greeted.

The young boy never even tried calling the man 'uncle' even though he called his wife 'auntie'.  
He wanted his head to remain on his shoulders, thank you very much.

Uchiha Fugaku did nothing to show that he acknowledged the boy's greeting.  
He was not in the mood to talk and be nice, polite and/or happy.  
He never was after his meetings.

''Father."  
Itachi only nodded to his father, he did not, like most, bow to the man, as he knew that his father's position would belong to him one day.  
He was the successor of the Uchiha clan.  
He bowed to no one but the Hokage.

Uchiha Fugaku acknowledged his son with a nod.  
And then his eyes stopped on the small, pale form that was his son's teammate.

''It is a pleasure to meet you, Uchiha Fugaku-sama. My name is Tsukino Akira, I am one of your son's teammates."  
The girl introduced herself the way she had introduced herself to his wife, only this time there was more strength in her voice.  
It was slightly louder and the tone was somehow firmer.  
She knew who she was dealing with.

Uchiha Fugaku did not bother to hide the fact that he had already heard about her and did not like her.  
Even a blind and deaf man could _feel_ that he did not like her _one bit._  
He probably thought of her as a setback for his son.

Uchiha Fugaku was also, very obviously, annoyed that a girl who doesn't even come from a well-know clan only bowed at waist to him.  
Oh, he disliked her very, very much already.

''I've heard that you have no clan."  
He said, disgust clear in his voice.  
''What you've heard is correct."  
''Meaning you have no distinctive fighting style or a kekkei genkai."  
He said.

''I don't need a kekkei genkai to be strong."  
Uchiha Shisui froze.  
 _Aki-chan definitely had a death wish._

''Is that so..? So far your skills have not impressed your sensei it seems."  
''I'm a kunoichi of Konoha. I might be young but I know not to reveal my power unless extremely necessary. What my sensei has so far seen is not even one tenth of my actual power."  
She responded.

''You sound confident for someone with just ordinary shinobi skills."  
''I am confident..and believe me, I am anything but ordinary."  
Uchiha Fugaku was....let's say surprised.  
A mere 7-year-old was speaking to him this way.

She should be stuttering.  
She should be afraid of him.

Yet there she was.  
Staring at him, as if she was looking at some commoner.  
She had the attitude of a Hyuuga.  
Her posture was perfect, so were her manners, she showed no emotion.

Why was such a child on his son's team?  
And where did she actually come from?  
A child with those manners couldn't have been raised outside of a noble family.

''Oh, there you are! How did the meeting go?"  
The happier half of the strongest Uchiha couple came back and greeted her husband.  
And the tension was getting more bearable.  
A 'hmph' was what she got as a reply.

''This is Akira-chan! Itachi's and Shisui's teammate, she's probably already introduced herself though. Such a polite child, don't you think?"  
''Hn."  
 The woman shook her head.  
''Anyway, I made some tea for everyone! So let's drink."  
Akira noticed a chance there.

''You have been so very kind and invited me to have lunch with you, there is no reason for you to do everything alone. The least I can do is help you with that tea, Mikoto-sama."  
She said softly.  
Everyone noticed the change in her tone.

''I've said it already and I'll say it again, such a sweet girl! Come dear, I'll bring the cups and you can pour the tea."  
''Understood."

She crossed the room gracefully and followed the woman into the kitchen.  
Akira was going to show that arrogant human that she was no commoner.  
She lifted the kettle up and followed Uchiha Mikoto to the living room  
To her, he was but a servant.  
So, as a servant he shall feel.

* * *

  
 Itachi Uchiha noticed something different about the girl when she walked out of the kitchen, a kettle in her hand.

She moved with such grace.  
Following his mother, the girl walked around the room, making no sound.  
She was like a ghost.  
It was as if she wasn't even walking, no footsteps were heard.

Her head was raised, chin parallel to the floor.  
What was different was her entire presence.

She was not the soft-spoken, kind, gentle girl she was with her team.  
No.  
The way she moved...  
The way she acted...  
It was a way of a noble.

And somehow, her aura just added up to it.  
She reminded him of a Hyuuga or even of an Uchiha.  
Such pride and strength in her eyes, her body language.

She was something different.

* * *

  
Shisui too, noticed the change.  
Somehow her warm, relaxing aura had changed to a strong, mighty aura like his leader's.  
   
It made him feel...kinda plain....and small...  
Her sole presence was that of a goddess.  
He felt like a slave.

And he mentally shrugged.  
 _He wouldn't mind being her slave._  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will not be a love triangle btw, the last part was just written to emphasize the strength she has in that world.  
> Thank you for reading!


	8. Of pride and threats

Uchiha Fugaku was not pleased.  
Not at all.

He'd had his suspicions, but it was now just ridiculously obvious.  
She was _not_ raised outside of a noble family.  
And it bothered him.  
Yes,  _bothered him_

Such a child...  
On his son's team, in his house.

She could be a spy for all they know!

Oh and he noticed _that look._  
That look she gave him when she poured him tea.  
It was something above the arrogance of a Hyuuga.  
And to be more arrogant than a Hyuuga was very hard, due to their ' _better than thou_ ' attitude.  
And that _'smile'_ , that _aura_.  
No child could possibly have the aura she had.  
That was an aura..an aura that could in a few years even rival his own.  
And he did _not_ like that.  
 _No, not at all._

* * *

  
Since everyone's eyes were on Tsukino Akira, no one in the room noticed how hard Uchiha Mikoto was trying not to laugh.  
The look on her husband's face was _absolutely priceless._  
Oh, he was _never_ going to hear the end of this.  
She was _never_ going to let this one go.  
 _Absolutely never._

She chuckled to herself.  
''Akira-chan, come, help me in the kitchen."  
She said, grabbed the girl and dragged her into the kitchen.  
Right after doing so Uchiha Mikoto pulled the curtain which separated the kitchen from the living room, so they were completely out of sight she started laughing, being careful not to be too loud, since the boys could still hear her.

Uchiha Mikoto always wanted only the best for her loved ones, especially her children.  
At the time she thought her oldest's reason for not introducing the girl to her was very different, so the little show she had witnessed pleased her greatly.

Uchiha Mikoto always wanted the best for her children.  
Meaning she also wanted them both to have decent wives as well.  
Tsukino Akira had that _something._  
She had that..... _attitude._

_Uchiha Mikoto liked a girl with an attitude._

Oh, she liked this girl very,  _very much._  
Tsukino Akira kind of reminded her of her younger self.  
A kind, happy child...with a smile that could make a jonnin drop dead.

Uchiha Mikoto giggled to herself.  
 _Oh yea_ , Itachi was _so_ going to marry this girl.  
She'd make sure of it.  
She giggled again.

''Mikoto-sama...is everything alright?"  
A soft voice of her future daughter-in-law brought her back to reality,  
''Oh, yes, just planning your weddin- I mean, yes, everything is excellent. Now, let us prepare that lunch!"  
Uchiha Mikoto grinned at the now blushing girl.

* * *

  
Akira was not deaf.  
Akira was not dense either.

She had heard that.  
And she knew what the woman was going to say.  
Uchiha Mikoto liked her, it was no secret.  
It was pretty obvious actually.  
She probably though Itachi had a crush on her too.  
But for her to say something like that-

Her face was getting warmer.   
Humans called it a blush.  
She was growing fond of the nice sensation in her stomach, but the skin getting warm part she was not so fond of.  
Itachi never showed his emotions, she shouldn't act like an amateur and let a blush give her feelings away.

She cleared her throat and nodded.  
''Yes ma'am."  
''Alright then, could you go and ask the boys what they want for lunch?"  
''Yes ma'am."  
Akira turned around and left, hearing the woman giggling behind her.  
She took a deep breath and prayed to whichever God was out there that the blush was gone.

The first thing Akira noticed when she entered the room was that Uchiha Fugaku was gone.  
''Mikoto-sama wants to know what you'd like to have for lunch."  
She said softly.  
''Onigiri! Right Itachi?"  
Uchiha Shisui nudged his cousin with his elbow, to which said cousin only blinked.  
''Anything is fine."  
He said shortly and returned his attention to the child in his arms.

Akira nodded and went back to the kitchen.  
''Shisui-kun wants onigiri."  
She informed.

Uchiha Mikoto chuckled.  
''That's Kagami's son alright...all he eats is onigiri!"  
She grinned to herself.

''Well then, let's make that onigiri."  
Akira nodded and started passing the woman ingredients and dishes.  
It was fun, cooking with an older female.  
She didn't know how nice it was to have a mother, since the girl had never really had one.

Her mother was a taboo for her kind.  
No one ever spoke about her or even accidentally mentioned her.  
It was as if she'd never existed.  
Her father would only punish her if she even tried to ask and after a few years she just gave up.

It was nice though....having a mother.  
She glanced at the woman who was twirling around the kitchen happily, pouring spices and tasting food and she felt that hole.  
The hole which reminded her that she was not a human, that she could never be.

It was a hole in her chest.  
It was so cold in there.  
And it only got colder when she looked at the woman and wished she had a mother like her.

* * *

  
Itachi Uchiha stared at his little brother.  
He didn't seem to mind being held by the girl and it _only slightly_ bothered Itachi.  
He'd always loved his little brother more than anything and even the thought of his brother liking someone more than him-  
No.  
 _Just no._

Itachi wasn't jealous.  
Of course not, that would be _silly._  
He was just... _surprised._  
He expected Sasuke to start crying like he usually did when their happy-go-lucky mother passed him around.  
But no.  
He just laid back and fell asleep.

_Why?_   


  
Why did everyone trust that girl so much?  
Was he being paranoid?  
He did not trust her because he did not remember ever seeing her or hearing about her in his lifetime.  
But everyone else seemed to treat her like she was just a normal girl.  
She, of course, wasn't.  
Akira had demonstrated that earlier, when his father was still in the room.

She intrigued the leader of all Uchihas to the point that he actually went to search for a noble clan that could've been wiped out and of which she could be the survivor.  
Uchiha Fugaku was actually ~~using~~ _wasting_ his free time on that girl.

Itachi didn't trust her.  
 _No._  
She was hiding something and he just _knew it._  
Looking back at his little brother he relaxed a little.  
If Sasuke liked her she couldn't be too bad, but still...he was not going to let his guard down near her any time soon.

Said girl walked out of the kitchen,followed by his mother.  
''Aww, look at you two! Adorable!"  
His mother giggled and pinched his cheek.  
Shisui burst out laughing.  
Itachi just sighed and handed his little brother to her.  
''Thank you. Now, I'm going to feed my little Sasu-chan, so Akira-chan you are in charge of the kitchen, don't let the boys near it, they'll burn something.''  
She said jokingly and waltzed out of there.  
''It only happened once!"  
Shisui shouted after her,blushing.

Akira smiled at him.

* * *

  
Uchiha Setsuna walked into the room, in hopes of finding his leader because he had a few more questions for the man.  
Instead, he found his students sitting there, drinking tea.  
 _All_ of his students.  
''Ohayo sensei."  
Two of them greeted the man, while the third one acknowledged him with only a nod.

''Shouldn't you be getting ready for your mission?"  
He glared at the female of the team.  
Said female only smiled.  
''I was invited to have lunch here with my teammates."  
She said softly.

''Is that so? And who, might I ask, invited you?"  
He asked, glancing quickly at Shisui.

The girls smile only got bigger.  
''Uchiha Mikoto-sama."  
She answered.

The sensei's eyes widened slightly.  
''I see."  
''Oh, I've also had the pleasure of meeting Uchiha Fugaku-sama."  
She spoke, just as he was about to leave.  
''Is that so?"  
He asked, stopping at the door.  
She got up and started collecting empty team cups.  
''Yes. It seems to me as if he'd only heard negative things about my skills and myself in general."  
She said looking up at the man with a smile.  
 _A smile which could make a jonnin drop dead._

* * *

  
Shisui shivered.

''There really wasn't much to tell about your skills."  
The sensei said coldly.  
She chuckled.

Such a _sweet_ sound yet one would, in this situation, find it extremely _frightening._  
''My, my...sensei, I thought _you'_ d see through what I'm doing."  
She said and walked towards the kitchen.  
''You see, I know better than to reveal my skills, even though you never bothered to teach me that...or anything really. So if some day someone wakes up to find you or anyone else with a slit throat, no one would suspect me, nee..? A plan worthy of a little gennin girl, don't you think?"

She said,her voice soft with a dangerous undertone and she disappeared into the kitchen.

* * *

  
Itachi was a prodigy,  
One didn't have to be a prodigy to realize that this was _a threat._  
A gennin-  
A _seven_ -year-old gennin girl had just threatened a _jonnin._

After this, one did not have to be a prodigy to understand why Itachi did not trust the girl.  
She just threatened _a jonin._  
It was _a death threat._

_From a seven-year-old._

Somewhere above them Uchiha Mikoto was laughing loudly.  
She had been using a special jutsu to eavesdrop, in hopes of hearing something she could later use to tease her oldest son, but what she heard was even better.

Uchiha Mikoto resisted the urge to say something childish, like for example _''Uuuhhh buurrrnn!"_  
She was not a fan of Uchiha Setsuna.  
When they were all younger he used to tell her husband again and again that she wasn't good enough to be his wife.  
 _And he just good burned by a seven-year-old!_

Has it already been mentioned that she liked the girl?  
Well scratch that.  
She _loved_ the girl.

* * *

  
''W-Woah...what was that Aki-chan?"  
Uchiha Shisui asked, right after the girl came back.  
By the time she did the sensei was gone and the trio was left alone once again.

''Surely, you've already noticed that he hates me to the point of being disgusted by my sole existence? I don't mind that, as his opinion is not important to me, but I do not appreciate being underestimated and badmouthed. Just because the man hasn't seen what I can do yet, does not give him any right to speak as if I have no skills whatsoever."

Her teammate nodded.  
''Ah...Shisui-kun?"  
''Hmm?"  
She sat down next to him and rubbed his left cheek gently.

Shisui blushed.  
''W-W-What is it?"  
She smiled,completely oblivious.  
''You had something on your cheek."  
She said softly.

His eyes widened.  
''Gah! Don't tell me that was there when Fugaku-sama walked in!"  
He started freaking out.  
''Oh my God! I-"  
He stopped, hearing the cutest laugh from his female teammate.

Then, for some reason, an irritated Uchiha Itachi got up.  
''Eh, Itachi where are you going?"  
''I have to pack for the mission and change my clothes, I'll be back before lunch is done."

He said and walked away.

Akira felt sad.  
She could feel that Itachi was irritated and she also felt like the reason he was feeling that way was her.  
The last thing she wanted to do was make Itachi feel bad.

''Don't worry about it Aki-chan, he's just grumpy because he knows auntie is never gonna let this go."  
Her other teammate grinned.  
She smiled.  
''I..guess..''

  


* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi was walking to his room and thinking.  
He loved Shisui, almost as much as he loved Sasuke.  
He wanted Shisui to be happy of course, even if he had a crush on their female teammate.

He wanted Shisui to be happy.  
Yet, he felt kind of.. _irritated_ when she did that.

It was her voice that was driving his insane.  
Her _laugh._

It looked and it _was_ so innocent, but he didn't miss the look on Shisui's face.  
His cousin was one of the best people he knew.  
However, he wasn't very good around girls.  
He almost always got shy and ended up embarrassing himself somehow.

Tsukino Akira was a girl he was comfortable with.  
Tsukino Akira was _not_ the right girl for him.

His cousin seemed to like her, not in a serious way, but in a friend way.  
Shisui was shy around all girls, not just the ones he liked.  
Plus, anyone would've blushed if a girl did that.

They are still seven-year-olds.  
Their idea of love is sharing ice cream and their biggest fear are cooties.

Itachi shook his head.  
Why is he thinking about this anyway?  
He is too mature for this.  
He shook his head again and closed the door of his bedroom.

He packed his weapons, a map, a compass, a water bottle, some soldier pills, a small first aid kit, some clothes and a few other things.  
After that he changed his clothes, quickly checked on Sasuke and then returned to the living room.  
   
Both of his teammates were there, talking.  
He entered the room without making a sound, yet she turned her head to look at him the moment he opened the door.  
She immediately got up and excused herself, saying that she needed to check on the food.  
Itachi stared at her back as she moved.

Oh, there was something about her.  
And with that something....Uchiha Fugaku wasn't _the only_ Uchiha she had intrigued.

* * *

  
After team 3 and Uchiha Mikoto had had their lunch, Shisui ran to his house to pack his things and then it was time to visit Tsukino Akira's house so she can pack hers.

Both young Uchihas were looking forward to this.


	9. Of ghosts and memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter~! :3  
> There will be some Latin words in here, the explanations will be bellow!  
> (Those might be slightly inaccurate since the translation was done via Google Translate)

 

Uchiha Itachi stared at his female teammate's back as they walked to her house.

  
_Suspicious._  
It was all so suspicious.  
They were going away from the most or even least populated parts of Konoha.  
Towards a forest.

_Very, very suspicious._

Why would anyone live in a forest?  
Why was Shisui so calm?  
They could be following her into a trap someone who wants to get their hands on Sharingan had set up and yet, there he was, walking next to her, chatting casually, joking and laughing.

Didn't that guy even think about these things?  
Maybe he was being paranoid again.  
Itachi shook his head.  
That girl....if this keeps up.... _she_ will be the death of him.

* * *

  
Uchiha Shisui was having fun.  
He found Tsukino Akira very easy to talk to and just fun to be with.  
The girl was a good listener, she gave good advice, she was very kind and even though he probably wouldn't say it out loud, extremely pretty.

He noticed the weird-ish feeling in the air every time she tried to interact with Itachi.  
Shisui didn't quite understand the hostility his cousin was feeling.  
To him it made _no sense._

He glanced at their female teammate and blinked.  
Does Itachi feel threatened?  
 _Naah_ , look at her! She is so small and skinny!  
How could such a small person hurt anyone?

Then his mind wandered back to the time she threatened their sensei.  
He shivered.  
Girls are _scary_.  
 _Really scary_.

But still.....she was always so nice and kind to both her teammates.  
There was no reason to dislike her.  
She even adopted a puppy they found on one of their D-Rank missions!  
How can you not like someone who adopts an abandoned puppy!?

He shook his head and glanced at Itachi who was walking behind them.  
Shisui really wanted to know what Itachi was thinking at that moment.  
''Shisui-kun?'  
''Eh? Ah!? Sorry! I-I was listening! I-"  
Akira chuckled.  
He smiled sheepishly.

_There it was._  
She was so easy-going, even though he wasn't listening she didn't mind.  
She was really nice.  
So why?  
 _Why did Itachi dislike her that much?_

* * *

  
Tsukino Akira was having fun.  
The lunch was very enjoyable, Mikoto-sama invited her to eat with them again, she got to meet Sasuke-san and see Itachi's house, she showed some arrogant humans their place and so on.  
She smiled to herself.

Shisui-kun was thinking about something.  
He was staring at her and then he glanced behind them, Akira guessed he was looking at Itachi.  
''Shisui-kun?'  
She questioned softly, seeing a troubled or rather  _confused_ expression on his face.  
''Eh? Ah!? Sorry! I-I was listening! I-"  
Akira chuckled.  
Shisui-kun smiled sheepishly.

She enjoyed this human's company very much.  
Akira felt as if he was close to her in a way she never knew before.  
Humans called people like these _friends._

_She never had friends._

Her kind only got together if her father had something to announce or someone to punish.  
They had no feelings for each other.  
Nothing other than caution did they show.  
They all had their place and they all wanted to keep it.

If someone got in the way they'd fight, they'd _kill._  
 _One of their own._  


* * *

  
_Duty is what gave our kind a reason to exist._

That is what all of them are taught, a chant they mustn't forget.  
They live to fulfill that duty.  
If one fails one shall die.  
If one is beaten by another, if one's position is taken - one shall die.  
The only way of gaining a higher rank is by killing.

There is simply no reason to exist if you have no duty.  
 _That was the way of her kind._

Her kind had a name.  
Yes.  
A name she _despised._

_Custos de mundum.*_

Like in any society, members of her kind had ranks, positions.

She was, as a pure, blueblooded individual given one of the noble jobs.  
Only elders and strongest members of the kind got to monitor a dimension.  
Mutts did the dirty, hard work.

Her brethren did all kinds of things.  
They were caretakers of dimensions and spaces, rifts in between them.  
Their duties differed from one class to another.

The lowest of her kind, mutts, as those of her level labelled them were called _Rusticus*._  
Rusticus were pretty much janitors of rifts.  
Their job was to keep the rifts clean of all disgusting creatures lurking in them.

Creatures like _veneficus._  
Creatures to whom life was given due to the negative energy which is created by the friction in between different dimensions.  
They are very fast, very dangerous and poisonous.  
Rusticus are forever sentenced to fighting those creatures made of shadows and negative energy.  
Unless, of course, they advance in rank and become the part of the middle class.  
 _Irascens._

Irascens are those who control the flow of dimension traveling.  
They use their own energy, pour it into the rifts, making them safe to travel through.  
They allow the kind to meet up and depart.  
To travel for duty.

There is also another category of Custos de mundum.  
 _Servus_

Servus are absolute mudbloods.  
They have no rank or any significant powers.  
They are the servants of ranked Custos de mundum.

There are those who serve Rusticus - _servus primus._ (first slave)  
Those who serve Irascens - _servus secundus._ (second slave)  
And also those who served the highest class - servus tertius(third slave).  
The nobles.

_The Magnus._

She was their ruler.  
The Magnus consisted of the King and the council.  
Every new king always had a son, who would later take his place and a daughter who would become the leader of the council.  
New siblings were born every few thousand years.  
Since their birth they are trained to become the King and his right hand, the council leader.

Akira had only seen her brother a few times.  
There was never kindness or sympathy in his eyes.  
His eyes were _cold, sharp_ , all he ever showed to her was _disgust._  
Her brother was pretty much the younger version of her father.  
 _Cold as ice, strong a steel and generally indifferent._

_The Magnus._

They were the ones in control of dimensions.  
They were, in this universe, what humans called in theirs _Gods._

She had _no friends._  
She had _no family._  
Only her _servants_ and her _seniors._

Her brother-  
Her brother had once told her exactly how he felt.  
It had been said that she looked _just like her mother._  
The only female of the kind with actual _feelings._  
It had been said that she sounded _just like her mother._

Her brother, just like their father, seemed to feel only _hatred_ towards her.  
Because she reminded them of _that woman._  
 _Venustus_.

That's the only thing she knew.  
Her name.  
Nothing more, nothing less.  
 _Venustus._

''Brother -"  
'' _Do not speak to me!_ Until you take your place as the council's leader do not speak to me. _Do not approach me, do not even look at me._ You are just like _that woman -_ dreaming of something unreal, thinking you can change this kind... You are filth, lucky to be born as my relative. Do not get carried away. You have no brother. To you I am and will always be only your ruler. Unless it's something council-related or a matter concerning our kind and its survival, leave my presence. I will only acknowledge your existence when you prove that you are worthy of the life given to you. _Leave. I have no siblings. I despise you_. Keep this ridiculous fantasy of yours in your head and just like her,  _you shall die_."

That was the third and last time her brother had ever spoken to her.  
Until that day he only gave short, curt answers to some of her questions.  
He never spoke much.  
That time he was _furious._  
After a disagreement with their father she looked for him, in hopes of calming him down and maybe getting a little closer to him.

He pushed her away.  
That night Akira returned to her place.  
Her room with mirrors.  
She sat there and thought.  
About everything.

That night she realized that he was _absolutely right._  
She wasn't and could never be a human.  
 _She was one of them._

_She had no friends._  
She had no family.  
She only had servants, she only had seniors. 

_The only thing she had was her duty._

That is how she felt, until the day she noticed Uchiha Itachi.

* * *

  
''Are we there yet?"  
Akira smiled at the friendly human.  
''A little further Shisui-kun."  
She responded softly earning a nod from him, it made her grin.  
 _A friend, eh?_

The fact that her relationship with Itachi wasn't even nearly as good saddened her, but she knew it would take some time for him to accept her.  
And she was planning to show him that she meant no harm on _this very mission._

* * *

  
''Here we are."  
Tsukino Akira announced stopping in front of a large house.  
''Woah, Aki-chan, you live here alone?''  
The happier Uchiha questioned, staring at the house. It was definitely too big for someone like her.  
''Not exactly.."

A small dog ran towards them.  
It barked happily and rubbed its head against the girl's leg.  
''Tadaima, Akio."  
The dog barked once again and wagged its tail happily.  
''Wah! Has he grown?"  
Shisui Uchiha bent down and petted the dog gently.

The animal licked his hand happily and barked again.  
''Aww, you remember me!? Nee, Aki-chan, why did you name him Akio?"  
Tsukino Akira smiled.  
''He is the man of the house, isn't he?"  
Tsukino Akira chuckled and unlocked the door.

''Come in please."  
''Ojamashimaaaasu!!"  
Uchiha Shisui shouted enthusiastically and ran into the house followed by the dog.

Akira smiled, staring at his running form as it disappeared into the house.  
Uchiha Itachi thoroughly scanned the house.  
No genjutsu, no traps, no chakra signatures other than their own in the area.

_Still suspicious._

''Itachi-san....I know that I don't look like the most trustworthy person in the world. I know I don't fit in and I know that I'm different, but..I promise you...I would never hurt my teammates. I just recently came to Konoha...people don't seem to trust me. I want to become a part of this village. I want to be Konoha's best kunoichi and I want to be accepted. So I decided to start with my team. And I will prove to you...that I mean no harm. I'm on your side.''

Akira said softly.  
Uchiha Itachi felt ~~a little~~ ,  _less that a little guilty._  
She looked very sad.  
Kind of _heartbroken._

The girl looked super fragile and tender on a regular day, but seeing her so sad was actually pretty... _well sad_.  
''Ojamashimasu...."  
He mumbled and entered the house, remembering to take his shoes off, unlike his cousin.  
Tsukino Akira sighed to herself and followed her teammates into the house.

* * *

  
Uchiha Shisui felt a little lost.  
The house was very big and very empty.  
Did a small, soft-spoken person like Aki-chan really live in such a house?

The atmosphere was kinda.... _cold._  
He had expected her house to be a small, cute house and its interior to be warm and welcoming.  
 _This....was not it._

* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi was slightly surprised.  
His expectations were like Shisui's.  
 _This....he did not expect._

The house was very big.  
To the point of making the small girl look even smaller, standing there alone.  
 It had many rooms, but all were half empty.

It was almost as if no one lived there.  
 _Like a house of a ghost._

''Shisui-kun, over here!"  
Akira called softly.  
His cousin who was standing at the end of the hallway turned around and grinned sheepishly.  
''Ahh, sorry, I got lost."  
He said and chuckled.

She smiled.  
''It's okay. This here is the living room."

They entered said room, which was very plain.  
There was a coffee table, a couch, an armchair, a fireplace, a door frame through which one could get to the kitchen, a grey carpet and 3 bookshelves full of books and scrolls.

There were no pictures, not on the walls, not on the table.  
On a wall there was only a calendar and on a wall opposite of that one was a big clock.  
On the coffee table was a small container full of ink, a brush and a scroll.

The room was very big and with only that furniture it looked empty.

''Sit down if you want to, I'll make us some tea. Oh! Um, feel free to explore the house... I'll be upstairs packing if you need me."  
Akira said and disappeared into the kitchen.

''Pretty...empty here,don't you think?"  
Itachi shrugged.  
He stood in front of a bookshelf, tracing his fingers over book titles.  
All the books were about chakra, shinobi and their five nations or about human behaviour.  
Those didn't seem like something a 7-year-old would read.

''They were sensei's."  
The girl explained, walking out of the kitchen.  
Itachi turned around and nodded.  
''You were taught by a jonnin."

It was more of a statement than a question, since Itachi never really forgot anything, so there was no need for confirmation.

She nodded and smiled.  
''Yes, he was very interested in psychology."  
''So he has passed away?"  
Akira nodded.  
''Yes."

She smiled and bowed.  
''Excuse me, I'll be back shortly."  
Tsukino Akira left the room gracefully.

Itachi looked around a little bit more.  
His cousin threw himself onto the couch and sighed.  
''How much time do we have left?'  
''About 50 minutes or so."  
Itachi responded, walking towards the armchair. He sat down.

Uchiha Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, checking for any foreign chakra.  
He found none.  
Akira was in the room above them.  
 _''She's like a ghost in her own house._ "  
Uchiha Shisui voiced Itachi's thoughts.  
 _''Yeah..."_

They sat in silence for a few minutes.  
They silence was broken by the sound of the boiling water.  
Just as Shisui was about the get up and make the tea, the Uchihas' teammate appeared at the door.  
She rushed through the room and towards the kitchen, yet her feet made no sound.

Itachi was slightly surprised.  
He didn't hear her approaching.  
If he wasn't keeping an eye out for her chakra signature he wouldn't have even known she was coming.  
That was some skill for a gennin.

Silent walking was every jonnin's specialty.  
She was taught by a jonnin, but still, silent walking is a very hard thing to master.  
Even though he'd never say something like that aloud, Itachi Uchiha respected a girl _just a little more_ after learning this.

* * *

  
Team 3 finished their tea and headed out.  
''Oh boy, oh boy! Our first C-Rank mission! I can't wait!"  
Uchiha Shisui shouted and sped up.  
His teammates followed.  
Tsukino Akira was smiling and Uchiha Itachi had his poker face on, as usual.  
''Let's do our best."  
The female of the team said softly and grinned at her teammates.  
''You got it!"  
Her first actual friend responded.

''Yeah.."  
The one she did not expect an answer from mumbled.  
Tsukino Akira grinned.

She was going to gain his trust.  
Even if it took a human lifetime to do it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Custos de mundum - Latin for Guardians of the worlds (this might not be that accurate since I just translated it via translate.google.com)  
> Rusticus - peasant, someone simple, insignificant, low-class..  
> Veneficus - poisoner  
> Irascens - transporter  
> Servus - slave  
> Magnus - great, mighty, nobleman  
> Venustus - lovely/charming/enchanting  
> Akio - bright, husband/male/hero/manly  
> Ojamashimasu - I'm coming in/Thank you for having me over


	10. Of allies and trust

To say that Tsukino Akira was excited was an understatement.  
To say that Tsukino Akira was happy was an understatement as well.  
She was bursting with joy.  
Everything was simply....too awesome for words.

''Our mission is simple. We have this box of scrolls to deliver to a village near the border of Hi no Kuni. A ninja from a smaller ninja village will be waiting for us near Yuyake ***** lake. Is that understood?"  
The sensei of team three seemed to be mildly annoyed, even though the students were on time and more than ready to go.  
His piercing glare was, however, directed at one particular individual.

''Yes, sir." Two of his students responded.  
He nodded and turned around.

''As this is a C-Rank mission, there probably won't be any need to fight, but we will do our job seriously and professionally. We are going with the Yajirushi ***** formation.''  
Uchiha Setsuna stated.

''I will be leading the team, since I am the most familiar with terrain outside the village. Behind me will be Shisui, ready to execute any order given to him by me at any given moment, as he reacts quickly and efficiently. You will be watching left. If you notice anything suspicious, let the team know. Behind him will be Tsukino, because we need the strongest members at the head and rear of the group. You will be watching our right side. Itachi will be behind her. You already know this, but it had to be said for some not as skilled individuals. Itachi will be watching our back and monitoring the blind spots of his teammates."  
The sensei of team 3 explained, glancing at the girl a few times.

Tsukino Akira paid no attention to his glares.  
Silly, silly human.  
She had to bite back a chuckle every time he glanced at her.  
It was, in a way, hilarious. A mouse glaring at a lioness in disguise.  
An arrogant creature, thinking it can defy Gods.

_Silly, silly human._

And so the mission started.

* * *

  
Uchiha Setsuna was annoyed.  
 _No._  
Uchiha Setsuna was _furious._  
He was looking forward to the goddamn chuunin senbatsu shiken more than any gennin in the Shinobi world.  
That little-  
He could not believe _the nerve_ of the female of his team.  
The _arrogance!_  
He couldn't wait to get rid of the brat.

For now, his goal was to keep the young heir away from her.  
The _current_ leader made a mistake of choosing such a woman in the past. He would make sure the _future_ leader doesn't make the same mistake.

* * *

  
Team 3 slowly advanced through the woods.  
Uchiha Shisui was very serious.  
It was his first real mission so he had to do his very best.

They were moving through the trees with ease.  
The speed was something he could keep up for days, not nearly as fast as he could go.   
He didn't dislike the pace though. It's much easier to monitor your surroundings when everything is not just a blurry image which disappears in the matter of seconds.

He kept observing the left side carefully.  
Not even a suspicious ~~squirrel~~ , not a _leaf_ was going to get past him.

* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi had important things to worry about.  
This mission was not one of them.

Uchiha Itachi was, however, an elite ninja.  
He was a skilled professional and allowing himself to relax on a mission, C-rank or otherwise, was not an option.  
He watched the rear of the group as agreed.  
Nothing suspicious was happening, he could feel no foreign chakra anywhere near them.

Itachi took a moment to stare at his female teammate's back.  
He still couldn't figure her out.

She claimed to be an ally.  
Yet she threatened her own jonnin teacher.

She looked harmless, as intimidating as a butterfly.  
Yet she had the aura of a cold-blooded assassin.

She was mysterious.  
Yet ready to tell them anything.

She was a liar.  
Yet he could only see the truth in her eyes.

She was someone he wanted to cast his Tsukuyomi on and find out all of her little secrets.  
And also someone he wanted to keep encaged forever, away from the dangers and lies of the Shinobi world.

* * *

  
Tsukino Akira was content.  
She was on her first serious mission with her team and so far it was all going very well.  
She was wary of her surroundings, if not for her sake, than for her teammates'.  
Akira had already promised herself that she'd show just how serious she was about becoming a ninja and protecting her teammates.

She scanned the right side of the forest thoroughly.  
For a moment she could feel a pair of eyes staring at the back of her head.  
Since Itachi was watching the rear, meaning there was absolutely no way for someone to sneak up on them, it couldn't have been anyone other than him.

Akira blushed at the thought.  
He-...looking at her?  
She shook her head and focused on the task at hand.  
She had a job.  
And she'll be damned is she doesn't fulfill it perfectly.

* * *

  
The original plan was to travel, it was supposed to be a 2-day trip to the village and another 2 days back, rest at night and travel during daylight, upon arriving at the village give the man the box of scrolls, restock and then travel back.  
It was supposed to be very easy.

Key word - _supposed to._

Nothing was ever easy for the heir's team, which was one of the reasons why Itachi never _had_ an actually gennin team.  
Aside from being too skilled, immediately advancing to chunnin and a little later to jonnin, Itachi was never placed into a team because, as the Uchiha's heir, he was targeted on regular basis.

To him it was no big deal, as the perpetrators were never skilled enough to keep up with him, much less wound him.  
But most ninja would choose a moment such as a mission outside Konoha to attack, especially if the heir was with only one jonnin and 2 lousy gennin.

It would be perfect for a group of criminals to just slaughter them all like that.

_Too bad they have no idea who they're dealing with._

* * *

  
The sun was slowly setting and team 3 slowed to a stop.

''Shisui and Tsukino will set up the tents and Itachi wll go look for some wood, so we can light a fire."  
Members of team 3 nodded and started with their tasks.

Tsukino Akira carefully put up one tent and glanced at her friendly teammate.  
He finished his tent and turned to her with a grin.  
She smiled as he scanned her tent and gave a thumbs up.

''Good work Aki-chan!"  
The boy said happily and patter her shoulder.  
Akira giggled.  
''Likewise."

Ninja always brought the least equipment possible as it was troublesome to carry and fight with.  
When it comes to tents and equipment which would be used during night, the same rule applies.  
It is easier to blend in with two or four tents, than eight or more.

Which is why teams of four usually brought only two tents.  
As did the members of team three.

Upon remembering this Uchiha Shisui's eyes widened slightly.  
''Ah! Sensei! Who is going to be in a tent with who?"  
Uchiha Shisui asked.

Uchiha Itachi looked up, upon coming back with hands full of branches.  
''You will be with Tsukino and Itachi will be with me."  
The sensei said without a second thought.

The Uchiha heir had to be away from her, sleeping in the same tent was absolutely _unacceptable._

* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi was not content.  
Shisui sleeping in a tent with her?

_No._  
No, no.

Most assassinations happen during the night.  
It's much easier to slit a throat when the rest of the body isn't moving.

Itachi went through this many times as an ANBU captain.  
A new member joins the team, spends a few months with them, waiting for an opportunity. Then, when they are assigned a mission with their target on the team, they manipulate others into letting them share the tent with the target.  
The next morning the team finds the ex-target with a slit throat, in a pool of blood, the perpetrator is gone and left no signs of ever being there.  
 _Untraceable._

_Oh this was so not going to happen._

* * *

  
Uchiha Setsuna had made a decision.  
It was not up for discussion.  
The look Uchiha Itachi gave him, though, made him slightly suspicious.

That girl...did she tell him something?  
Uchiha Setsuna was not a happy camper.  
Or happy in general.

'Why?' you might ask.  
Because people are idiots and no one ever does what he wants them to do.  
Fugaku-sama married _that_ woman, the council is full of idiots, the Hokage is an idiot, just like every single Senju in the world and now Itachi seems to dislike the sleeping arrangements.  
He better not be getting close to that girl.

Uchiha Setsuna smirked to himself.  
 _He had a plan B too._

He glanced at the most naive one of his teammates.  
His smirk only got wider.

Uchiha Shisui is a very naive little boy.  
That can be used in _many_ , many ways.

In case she gets too close to the heir, Uchiha Setsuna planned to give little Shisui a little push.  
He'll easily make the boy believe that the girl has some feelings for him.  
Being the little goody-goody that she is, she won't reject him in order to avoid hurting his feelings and then a rumor about the two together can spread, leaving any feelings the heir might have for her absolutely _demolished._

He chuckled quietly.

_Children._  
Naive, little children.  
Easily manipulated, naive little children.

_They have no idea who they're messing with._

* * *

  
They sat around the fire Itachi had lit with his fire jutsu.  
During the mini-meeting they had Uchiha Setsuna explained the rest of the mission to them.  
Using the map he marked the route they would take and the stops along the way.

''I _hope_ you know this already, but on every mission, dangerous or not, shinobi watch out for danger during the night in shifts. As there are 4 of us there will be 4 shifts. Tsukino will take the first one, Shusui the second one, then Itachi and I will take the last one. If you notice anything suspicious don't try to be a hero, just wake the rest of us up and be ready to fight if necessary."  
The sensei of team 3 said and raised from his seat without another word.

* * *

  
Itachi decided to leave his seat next to the fire after Shisui, just in case.  
 _He did not like the shift he was given at all._  
Akira and Shisui were not only in the same tent, but their shifts were also one after another, which only gives her more chances to kill him, if she is, indeed, a foe.

Uchiha Shisui rose from his seat with a yawn.  
He stretched and scratched the back of his head with another yawn.

He grinned at his teammates, showing of his pearly white teeth.  
''Good night Itachi! Good night Aki-chan, I'll see you in a few hours!"  
Itachi nodded and the female of the team smiled softly.

''Good night, Shisui-kun, have sweet dreams."  
The boy's grin got wider as he jogged to the tent he shared with Akira.

With a soft sigh Uchiha Itachi rose and headed towards his tent.  
''Good night..."  
Came a soft voice behind him.  
He paused his walking for only a second.  
''...Good night.."

And he retreated to his tent.

* * *

  
Outside the tents Tsukino Akira sat, still in her seat, staring at the place her beloved had stood seconds ago.  
 The skin of her face felt unnaturally warm and there was this...strangely pleasant feeling in her stomach.

When she wished him a good night, she wasn't expecting him to wish it back, but he did.  
Akira had never felt this good in her life.

This feeling was foreign to her.  
Very foreign, but also very gratifying.

She raised a hand and let it rest over the left side of her upper torso.  
Empty, cold, inhuman...still no change.  
She gripped the fabric of her T-shirt tightly.

_**Will I ever....have a heart?** _

* * *

  
Uchiha Shisui felt a small, warm object on his shoulder.  
He opened his eyes groggily.

There was someone standing over him.  
Pale skin and blue eyes, the most beautiful shade of blue he had ever seen.  
''Are you an angel?"  
He questioned with a yawn.  
The person chuckled and shook their head.

''Shisui-kun, it's Akira, it's time for your shift."  
The angel giggled.  
 _Akira_...Wait! _Akira!?_

He jumped out of the bed immediately.  
She heard all that.  
 _Kill me now._  
''A...ahahah my shift, of course! Hahaha, well off I go then!"  
He literally ran out of the tent, leaving the girl to chuckle alone.

* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi awoke right before Shisui entered the tent to wake him for his shift.

_Light sleeper extraordinaire._

His shinobi senses would wake him up the moment someone came closer than 20 meters to him, even if they were silent walking which Shisui wasn't when he came.

The moment he heard the shuffling outside the tent Itachi got up and grabbed his water bottle.

* * *

  
Uchiha Shisui jumped back with a gasp when his cousin exited his tent before Shisui had a chance to enter and wake him up.

''God! Don't scare me like that!"  
Shisui said, holding a hand over his heart.  
''My apologies."  
Itachi answered curtly.  
He always spoke more with just Uchiha around.

''Nee, Itachi..."  
''Yes?"  
''Why do you dislike her? She's not even a fangirl."  
''Who?"  
Uchiha Shisui rolled his eyes.  
''You might not be aware of this, but I know you better than anyone...well except auntie Mikoto maybe..you know who I'm talking about Itachi."

Uchiha Itachi sighed and turned around to look at Shisui.  
''Why do you _like_ her?"  
''Stop answering me with a question!"  
Shisui groaned.  
''She is very nice to me _and_ you, she likes animals, she is fun to be with so why wouldn't I?"  
''That doesn't sound too perfect?"  
''Uh..but-..well..you can tell that she's good!"  
''You cannot."  
''Just give her a chance then."  
''Hn."  
His dismissive tone told Shisui that the discussion was over.

* * *

  
Several hours later, team three arrived at the entrance of the Hacho Village *****.  
''Shall we?"  
Shisui grinned.  
The girl nodded happily and the sensei rolled his eyes at the two.  
''You are ninja. Act like ninja."  
He growled and started walking.  
''We are supposed to meet at the Yuyake lake. Let's go."

Upon arriving at the destination Uchiha Setsuna checked the time.  
Fifteen more minutes.  
''We have fifteen more minutes. Do whatever you want,just stay wary."

* * *

  
Fifteen minutes later Uchiha Shisui and Tsukino Akira were sitting together, talking about God knows what, Uchiha Itachi was staring at something over the lake and the sensei of the trio was leaning against a tree, annoyed, with an expression which really showed it on his face.

With a poof of smoke and whirl of leaves a man appeared.  
With a nod he threw the sensei a scroll.  
After reading its content the sensei nodded and signaled to Itachi to give the man what he came for.  
Itachi pulled the box out of his backpack and handed it to the man with a nod.  
The nod was returned and the man disappeared.  
''Let's restock and head back."

* * *

  
It was decided that Shisui and Akira would go and buy the supplies the team would need for the next two days, while Itachi and Setsuna would wait for them at the lake.

Itachi was, of course, not happy with this, but he decided to listen to Shisui, because his cousin usually gave the best advice when it came to socializing with people outside the clan.  
With a sigh Itachi sat down and waited.

''Lord Danzo contacted me. We will enter this year's chuunin senbatsu shiken. As soon as your official rank is chuunin, they'll start the process for a jonnin promotion and you'll join his organization."  
''Aah."  
(Same as mm or nn, a sound of affirmation)

''As of late he seems interested in Shisui too. So he will, most likely, join the organization too."  
Itachi could only nod at this.  
Shisui joining the ANBU Root.  
He could never forget how that ended.

* * *

  
Tsukino Akira and Uchiha Shisui finished shopping and goofing around, so they went back to meet the rest of the team.  
''Since it took you this much time for such a simple task, we'll have to spend the night here, next to this lake and head out earlier in the morning."  
The sensei grumbled.

''Ah! Aki-chan! Look!!"  
An excited Uchiha Shisui yelled, pointing at the sun which looked as if it was sinking into the deep, crystal clear water of the lake, as it slowly set.

Tsukino Akira smiled softly.  
''It's beautiful..."  
She breathed out, dazed by the gorgeous sight.  
''Ohh...so that's why it's called Yuyake lake!"  
Shisui gasped in astonishment.  
''Mm..."  
She agreed with a charming smile, too distracted to notice another Uchiha staring at her amazed expression.

* * *

  
Setsuna and Shisui left their places next to the fire and disappeared into their tents.  
The only ones left were Akira and Itachi.  
The former of which was getting nervous.  
 _Really nervous._

''Shisui seems to trust you. He claims that you are an ally. I believe in his judgment. If he says you are an ally, I will treat you like one. However, if you turn out to be a foe..."  
 _I will kill you myself._

It went without saying, his look told her everything.  
He rose from his seat and so did she.  
''I'm not an enemy. I will not stab you in back! I know my word doesn't mean much...but I promise."  
She almost shouted.  
He didn't turn around to look at her.  
 _He just kept walking._

* * *

  
The air seemed to be different as they got further away from the Hacho Village.  
 _Danger._  
Danger was in the air.

Suddenly a kunai was thrown at the back of Itachi's head.  
He caught it with ease and the team got ready to fight.

''Hmm...as expected.."  
Someone hummed from the trees.  
Down onto the ground jumped a boy, a few years older than the gennin trio, with a Kirigakure hitai-ate.  
He was there in the open, but Itachi could feel two more people waiting up in the trees.

The boy chuckled.  
''Let me introduce myself. My name is Momochi Zabuza and I'll be decapitating you today."  
He said, laughing sadistically.  
''The boy who killed over one hundred of his classmates in a death match for the title of a gennin..."  
Uchiha Setsuna growled, grabbing a kunai from his pouch.

''So you've heard of me?"  
The boy grinned evilly.  
He pointed the tip of his huge sword at Itachi.  
''I'm here for his head. Stay outta my way and maybe you'll live. Interfere and you'll die."  
He said simply and charged at Itachi.

Uchiha Setsuna headed towards the heir, as it was his duty not only as a clan member, but as a teacher as well, to protect the student.  
He was stopped by another Kirigakure ninja who jumped from a tree, his kunai clashing with Setsuna's.

Uchiha Shisui blocked the kunai thrown at him.  
He grabbed his female teammate and jumped away, realizing that there was a paper bomb attached to the kunai he had blocked.  
Tsukino Akira threw one back, not at their opponent, but at the tree he was on.  
The explosion blew the tree up and forced the man to reveal himself.

He jumped down with a predatory grin.  
Both of Zabuza's comrades were much older, therefore much more experienced, which was not good news for Akira and Shisui.  
With a chuckle, the man went through a few hand signs and a clone of him appeared to his left.

It lunged at Akira, as the original lunged at Shisui.  
 _This is the time to prove herself._

* * *

  
Itachi was handling his opponent with ease.  
The Momochi Zabuza before him was not as skilled and experienced as the Demon of the Hidden Mist from his memories.

Last time, he hadn't met Zabuza this early in his life, so he had been more skilled and much harder to defeat.  
Still not a problem for Itachi.

He glanced at his teammates for a second and they were not doing so well.

* * *

  
Akira was annoyed.  
 _Very, very annoyed._  
The man had more senbon on him that the whole Hi no Kuni had!

It was getting rather annoying.  
She could not use her actual powers in front of everyone like this, so she had to rely on the powers of a shinobi she got when she entered this world.  
Which was, again, very annoying.

Akira blew vacuum bullets at him.  
They went at an amazing speed, but her opponent was not focusing on her.  
She raised a brow and then noticed it.

He was holding another senbon and he threw it in Shisui's direction.  
Her eyes widened.  
He won't see it coming, but she doesn't have the time to block it!

You don't know until you try, right?

Akira ran towards it as the bullets pierced the man and he transformed into a blob of water.  
She did her besto to reach it in time, but alas, she was too slow.  
The shuriken she threw missed, so there was only one option left.

* * *

  
Itachi kicked his opponent, said opponent slammed into a tree and coughed up blood.  
''Zabuza! Retreat!"  
The one fighting Setsuna shouted and he and the one fighting his other two teammates disappeared.  
''Che...weaklings..See ya around Uchiha.."  
Zabuza disappeared with a laugh.

* * *

  
''Is everyone alright?"  
''Yes, sir!"  
''Good, let's keep moving. Itachi you did very well. Excellent. Shisui, you too, you did good, your reactions were fast and efficient. Tsukino...it seems that you do have some skills."  
The last sentence was spoken with so much resentment, that it didn't sound like a praise at all, but even so Akira was content.  
''Let's go."

* * *

  
Once again,Akira and Itachi stayed after the other two got up and left.  
She stayed for her shift.  
He always lingered there a little longer, to ensure that his cousins left.  
 _This time he had another reason too._

''Did you even disinfect that?"  
There was no reason to pretend,  _he knew._  
''I....didn't really have the time.. I was planning to do it after all of you went to sleep...How-..did you know?"  
Itachi looked up from the fire.  
''Your sleeve is ripped, when you move, bandages are visible. It was stupid of you to keep it hidden. That senbon might've been poisoned. You gave that poison time to spread through your body."  
He said sternly.

Akira almost flinched.  
She heard him use that tone before, but..now that he was talking to her she felt ashamed for hiding her wound.  
''I..It's just a scratch."  
She muttered, pushed her sleeve up and unwrapped the bandages.  
There was, indeed, a bleeding cut on her upper arm, almost on her shoulder.  
Red blood created such a contrast with her pale skin, that one could call her wound art.

He got up and grabbed her arm.  
Pressing a finger slightly below the wound he drew blood.  
She did not complain.

He sat down next to her and inspected the blood.  
''As I thought..the senbon was poisoned."  
He glanced at her with a look that made her want to crawl into a hole and die of shame and embarrassment.  
She felt like a child, being scolded for something reckless she had done.  
''I...couldn't block it in time...and he aimed for Shisui-kun's neck. I.."

It didn't matter anyway.  
Her body was not that of a human.  
No poison could kill her.

Itachi said nothing.  
He rose from his seat, pulled out a kunai and held it over the fire.  
 _Disinfection._  
He turned to her.  
She knew what he was going to do and it was going to hurt.

First he grabbed her wrist, pressing a thumb down onto it.  
He was checking her pulse.  
Akira fought the urge to look away and did her best to stay calm.  
   
He gripped her arm tightly.  
She did not wince.  
He cut the wound open with the knife that had cooled off only a little.  
She grit her teeth, refusing to make a sound.  
Human body or not, everything in this world felt pain and so did she.

* * *

  
Itachi was focusing at the task at hand, yet he took a moment to carefully watch her expression.  
 _She was in pain._  
One did not have to be a genius to know that.  
But she was trying not to show it.

Itachi imagined that any girl his current age would cry and scream if this was happening to her.  
Tears were welling up in her eyes, yes, but she did not make a sound.  
She was shaking, shivering as he pushed the knife deeper into the wound, but she did not flinch, she did not move.  
Uchiha Itachi loosened his grip on her arm.

He decided to, at least try, to be gentle.  
For her sake and the newfound respect towards her.

* * *

  
His grip got gentler, his eyes softened, but only a little.  
Someone less observant wouldn't have noticed.

_She was grateful_.  
He put the kunai away and inspected the wound.  
''I will try to get as much poison as I can out. Get the antidote for this as soon as we reach Konoha."  
 _It was an order._  
Akira nodded, trying to blink back the tears, but to no avail.  
To let him see her like this-  
She felt _weak._  
Not the kind of feeling she got when comparing herself to her brother or any other Magnus, this feeling was even worse.  
Weak in front of him....she'd rather he saw her dead than this pathetic.

* * *

  
Itachi looked at her.  
Trying to stop the tears, looking away, hiding the pain.  
She reminded him of someone, even though he had no memory of her.  
''Crying does not make you weak. Hiding your tears does."  
He said and pulled her arm closer.  
She hiccuped and looked down, staring at the floor guiltily.

* * *

  
Those who show their tears are the strong ones.  
Admitting that you failed, admitting that you have a weakness, showing your pain and tears with no shame and no fear.  
Showing that you are but a human.

**_Too bad I'm not._ **

* * *

  
Tsukino Akira suddenly tensed, feeling cool lips on her skin.  
The realization hit her like a ton of bricks and her skin reacted immediately.  
She could not swallow the lump in her throat, her fingers were trembling but the cause was different this time.

Akira felt a wave of crazy, swirly, pleasant but also strange sensation every time he sucked.  
She could feel the blood leaving her arm little by little, but was too distracted with something else to care.  
It went on like this for a few minutes, with Itachi turning away to spit the blood out a few times and Akira staring at the ground, wondering if it could open up so she can jump and never look Itachi in the eye again.  
 _Oh, wait, she's never going to do that anyway!_

Pulling away, Itachi wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and reached into his pouch.  
He pulled out a small bottle of alcohol and pulled out a bandage.  
He ripped off a small piece and soaked it with alcohol.

Pressing it to the wound he reached for some clean bandages and then carefully wrapped them around the cut.  
''Why...why are you doing this I... thought you didn't trust me."  
She said softly.

He looked up and than rose from his spot.  
''You took a hit for Shisui. He doesn't even know and you didn't tell him because he'll worry. I told you I'd treat you as an ally. You've proved that you're ready to sacrifice yourself for your teammate."  
''He is not just my teammate, he is my friend. I would die for him any day."

Itachi turned around and started walking.  
''Thank you..."  
He left her with a whisper, left her to wonder if she'd actually heard that or not.  
Akira sighed softly, her face was cooling off.  
But there was something she would not forget anytime soon....  
And that was the feeling of his warm fingers on her arm and his cool lips on her skin.

* * *

  
Uchiha Setsuna was not asleep.  
He was not happy either.

He heard Itachi enter the tent much later than he did the past few days.  
This did not please him.  
 _Nope._  
It just annoyed him further.

Uchiha Itachi knew that the man wasn't sleeping.  
He also knew the man wouldn't dare question him so he just laid down and relaxed.

_There was a long day ahead of them._

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yuyake - sunset  
> Yajirushi - arrow  
> The Hacho Village is an actual village, you can look it up on naruto.wikia.com if you're interested  
> Thank you for reading lovelies! 


	11. Of fortunes and suspicions

 

The sensei of team 3 knocked.  
''Enter!"  
The voice of one of Konoha's well-known heroes was heard from the room.  
''Hokage-sama, we, team 3, have returned from our mission."  
The sensei informed, staring at the blond Hokage impassively.

Namikaze Minato grinned.  
''Well done! Good job everyone!"  
He praised, signaling to one of the men in the room to hand the team the money which was paid for the service.  
''Minato?"  
The red-haired, very pregnant jinchuuriki of Konoha walked in, smiling sweetly.  
''Ah! Kushina!"  
The Hokage's face lit up like a Christmas tree as he jumped up from his seat, crossed the room in a second and enveloped his wife in a bear hug.  
''Is everything ok? Are you about to give birth!? Should I call -"  
The silly Hokage was cut off with a kiss.

His wife chuckled softly.  
''No. I'm back from my appointment! Aaaand! Our little Naruto is completely healthy, ya know!(dattebane!)"  
The woman grinned, showing off rows of white teeth.  
The Hokage dropped to his knees, hugging her stomach lovingly.  
''That's my son alright! Ready to come and meet us in a few months!"  
He nuzzled his wife's stomach happily, making the shinobi in the room chuckle.

The Hokage's grin was contagious and his happiness was too.  
Everyone was looking forward to the little Naruto's birth and they were all happy for their leader as well.  
His wife huffed and grabbed his ear, pulling him up.  
''Iteee!"  
He whined like a child, pouting and looking at his wife with a childish glare.  
She shook her head.

''You are crazy, ya know! (dattebane!)"  
She said, looking away to hide her blush.  
The Hokage chuckled softly and kissed her cheek.  
''Crazy about youu.."  
He whispered, smiling cheekily.

The shinobi around them shook their heads, face-palmed or sighed at the cheesy line.  
Her eye twitched and she punched him.  
The Hokage sulked, holding his aching head and mumbling something along the lines of 'meanies and hot-heads'.  
His wife sighed softly and ruffled his hair.  
''I'll see you home, I just wanted to let you know about the results of the check up."  
She smiled.

Namikaze Minato grinned and hugged her again.  
''Alright then! I'll see you both there! Don't miss me too much you two!"  
He said and kissed his wife's forehead, his hand resting on her stomach.  
She grinned back and disappeared with a handsign.

Tsukino Akira smiled.  
They were such a perfect couple.  
She quickly glanced at Itachi and sighed softly.  
_Too bad such a great couple died such a terrible death_

* * *

  
Uchiha Setsuna was mildly disgusted.  
The Hokage really shared too much of his life with his underlings.

The public display of affection he had witnessed made him want to roll his eyes and maybe throw something at them.  
He knew better than to do something like that, of course.  
Setsuna sighed over and over again, waiting to either be dismissed or given another mission.  
Then their Hokage's childish side kicked in and he started admiring his unborn child.  
Uchiha Setsuna had more important things to do.

He glared at the red-head's back.  
Mikoto- _sama_ 's friend.  
Hah...the woman was nothing but a _monster._  
He really did not know what the young Hokage saw in her.  
She finally left and the Hokage coughed and straightened up.

''Alright, now where were we? Ah! Yes, Setsuna, I have something to tell you so could you stay here? You guys can take break."  
The Hokage said, while walking back to his seat.  
Uchiha Setsuna nodded, giving his team the 'wait for me outside' signal.  
They bowed.

''Thank you for your time,Hokage-sama."  
They said in unison, earning a grin and thumbs up from the village leader.  
The gennin exited the room and waited for their sensei outside the building.

''Nee, what do you think Hokage-sama wants to talk to him about?"  
Uchiha Shisui asked, looking at his teammates with both hands behind his head.  
The female shrugged.  
''I'm not sure."  
She said softly.  
''Hn."  
Was the only reply he got from his other teammate.  
Uchiha Shisui sighed.  
_He had a bad feeling about this._

* * *

  
''Alright then! So as you know, we have a chuunin senbatsu shiken coming up and I assumed you'd want your team in it, so I wanted to let you know - the meeting will be here, tonight, at 18h and all the jonnin with gennin teams will be there."  
''Understood."  
Uchiha Setsuna had to bite back a grin.  
He was looking forward to this shiken.

Oh, he was looking forward to it very,  _very much.._  
He hoped and prayed to _every_ God that was out there that the arrogant female of his team would be _crushed_ during the exam.  
_He couldn't wait._

''One more thing."  
''Yes, Hokage-sama?"  
''I noticed that Danzo seems to be interested in Itachi and Shisui....He's been acting...weird lately, so for the time being try to keep your students away from him. His organization seems to be much more that a personal ANBU team of guardians. It seems that...they are working behind the scenes, doing things that could cause unnecessary misunderstandings with other countries and given that your students are very talented and will soon become strong ninja, try to keep them away from him please."  
The Hokage said seriously.  
Uchiha Setsuna wanted to laugh.

This man really thought that he could tell him what to do?  
This is exactly why everyone's an idiot.  
''Of course, Hokage-sama."  
He said with a fake smile.

The happy Hokage was back again.  
''Great! Now off you go! I do believe that your students are waiting for you outside."  
He said merrily, grinning at the man.  
Uchiha Setsuna nodded and left the room.

* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi looked around.  
Nothing unusual was happening.  
Everyone was acting completely normal,moving through the streets,pausing their walks to chat with each other, just going about their day.  
If only they knew what would happen in 2 months.

* * *

  
''The meeting regarding the chuunin senbatsu shiken is today. I will, of course, under my name Uchiha Setsuna, recommend the three of you for the shiken, because every member of the team has to sign up so the team can participate. You'll do a few more mission and then we start with the training for the shiken."  
The sensei of the team 3 announced, tossing a few scrolls to the next leader of his clan.

''Since I have to attend that meeting and another clan meeting as well, Itachi will be in charge. You two will listen to him and report to the Hokage when you're done."  
Uchiha Setsuna said, eyeing his students sternly.  
''Yes, sir!"

* * *

  
''What do we do first?''  
Uchiha Shisui asked, trying to read over his cousin's shoulder.

''We have to accompany some civilians to a nearby village and then back."  
Uchiha Itachi responded, placing the scroll back into his backpack.

The third teammate smiled at the two and nodded.  
''Alright."  
She said softly and followed her teammates who were walking towards Konoha's Southern gate.  
Upon arriving at their destination they spotted some familiar faces.

* * *

  
''Konnichiwa! Kyouji-san, Hikaru-san!"  
The female smiled softly and bowed to their clients.  
''Ah! It's you guys! You even brought the dog!"  
Uchiha Shisui grinned and patted little Rei-chan's head gently.  
The pug snorted in response and upon spotting the girl ran over to her and started trying to climb up her leg.

Tsukino Akira smiled at the pet and lifted it up.  
''Konnichiwa Rei-chan."  
She said softly and stroked the pug.  
''Oh! It's you kiddies! I didn't know Minato-sama would send you to help us out again! Hohoho! Well this only makes the trip more fun!"  
The old man laughed patting Shisui not-so-gently on the back.  
''Y-You have a strong hand jiji."  
Shisui coughed.  
''Well let's go shall we!?"  
The old man chuckled and followed Itachi who stepped out of the village first.

* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi looked around, wary of their surroundings.  
Even if it was just a short mission, he had to be careful.  
He glanced left, spotting his cousin who was walking next to the older client and listening to his stories about the Third Shinobi War.  
He also took a moment to look at the two who were walking behind them.  
The kunoichi was walking next to the boy, holding the dog and listening to the younger client complain about his grandfather and tell funny stories about the dog.

She nodded from time to time and giggled quite a bit.

Itachi sighed.  
Yes, it was unlikely that some bandits or rouge ninja would attack them, but his teammates were way too relaxed.  
He shook his head and kept watching the road in front of them while listening to the conversations of his teammates and clients.

* * *

  
''And then Rei jumped onto the table and spilled everything!"  
The boy yelled, waving his arms around enthusiastically.  
Akira smiled, looking down at the pug in her arms.  
''Really? But she looks very nice and calm."  
She said, looking back up at the boy.

Said boy blushed and nodded.  
''Really! And I had to clean it all up!''  
The girl chuckled softly.  
''I have a dog as well.''  
She announced happily.

''Eh? You do?"  
The client asked.  
She nodded.  
''Hai. His name is Akio. We found him during our 3rd D-rank mission and I just had to take him in."  
The girl explained.  
''T-Then...maybe we could, uh, walk our dogs together sometime.."  
The boy muttered, staring at the ground.

Akira looked up, unsure of how to respond.  
''Sure. I guess we could."  
''Awesome!"  
Hikaru grinned.  
She grinned back.  
_Making humans happy felt nice._

''Ano, Kyouji-san, if you don't mind me asking, why are you going to this village anyway?"  
She questioned, walking a little faster, so she was now walking next to the man.  
''We are going shopping!"  
The man grinned.

''Eh? But Konoha is way bigger than that place. What can that village possibly have that Konoha doesn't?"

Shisui asked, folding his arms.  
''Well you see, my back hurts and I've heard that there is this woman who makes some special medicine which definitely helps."  
The old man explained.

Both ninja nodded.  
''I see."

Shisui said.  
''You know what kiddies?! We are going to visit the hot springs as well! If nothing else, that ought to help my poor back! My treat!"  
The man said happily.  
''But, Kyouji-san, Konoha has hot springs too."  
Akira said.

The man shook his head, what seemed to be a look of disgust on his face.  
''Nah. You kids heard of the legendary Jiraiya guy? Yea, well that pervert hangs around that place way too much."  
The man grumbled.

Both shinobi rose their brows.  
Their client seemed to dislike the great sannin.  
''Grandma had a little crush on the Jiraiya guy."  
Hikaru whispered.  
''Oh.."

* * *

  
Itachi was getting bored.

Truth be told, he was bored most of the time anyway.  
Truth be told, he was less bored recently.  
Truth be told, recently meaning since he met her.

Itachi shook his head and sighed.  
He started thinking about everything.  
This time the chuunin senbatsu shiken would happen before the Kyuubi attacks, so he will be chuunin, maybe even jonnin by the time that happens.  
Then they'll have to join the Root.

He glanced at Shisui.

Last time it was _too late._  
This time..he will _definitely save him._

* * *

  
Tsukino Akira glanced at the current leader of their team.  
He seemed to be in deep thought.  
He quickly glanced at Shisui and then back at the ground in front of him.  
Suddenly, he frowned, as if remembering something painful.  
She looked at Shisui and then back at Itachi.

_He must be thinking about Shisui's death._

Akira approached him slowly.  
With a gulp, she slowly raised her hand and placed it gently on his shoulder.  
He immediately tensed and his head snapped towards her.  
His sharp eyes met her soft ones.

''Are you okay?"  
She whispered softly.  
He looked forward, ignoring her concerned gaze.  
''Yes."

She retreated her hand slowly and looked down, sadness washing over her.

Of course he won't talk about his problems with her.  
They aren't exactly friends yet.

Akira nodded.  
''I...am sorry..It's none of my business, I shouldn't have asked."  
She mumbled.

* * *

  
Well great.  
He felt _guilty_ now.  
Seriously, the girl looked like someone had kicked her puppy.  
Itachi sighed once again.

She was starting to remind him of _his mother._  
_That was definitely not a good sign._

* * *

  
''It's fine. Come on, the village is close."  
Akira blinked.  
She blinked again and then looked up.

_Did he just-_

And she blinked once again.  
Tsukino Akira couldn't help but grin.  
He actually talked to her, even though it was not necessary.

Maybe he's warming up to her?  
Her grin got wider.  
''Hai!"

* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi restrained himself from raising a brow.  
Where did that happiness come from?  
She looked so sad a second ago.  
What's with the mood swings?

He fought down a shiver.

She was really starting to remind him of his mother.  
_Not good.  
Not good at all._

* * *

  
After arriving the shinobi and their clients walked around the small civilian village, looking for things one would be unable to find in Konoha.  
When they had everything they needed it was time to visit the mysterious woman who, supposedly, made the best medicine for back pain.

Apparently, the woman was a famous gypsy who never stays in one place for a long time.  
After asking around they found out where her temporary home was and they set off to visit her.

* * *

  
''Why hello there."  
An old woman greeted as they entered the room.  
Said room gave off a creepy vibe and was very dark as well, lit only with a few candles.  
''Uh, hi, so my grandfather needs some of that medicine you make, for his back. Do you have some?"  
''I know what you've come here for, dear boy. I am also a fortuneteller."

The woman responded, her voice hoarse.  
She turned around and traced the containers on a shelf with her index finger.  
''So you can, like, predict the future?"  
Shisui asked.

''I can, indeed, Uchiha Shisui. I can, for example tell you to be wary of the one-eyed man."  
She said, making both Itachi and Akira tense.  
''Eh? I don't know a one eyed-man."  
He responded.  
''I never said you knew him, I told you to be wary of him. As should you be, Uchiha Itachi."  
She found the container she was looking for and turned around.  
''He _will_ keep looking for you, Tsukino Akira."

It took every ounce of her self-restraint and a quick reminder of what she was trying to do here, Akira remembered that they weren't supposed to know about some things yet, so she kept her face expressionless.

''What does she mean?"  
Shisui immediately turned to her.  
She put on her most innocent confused face.  
''I'm not sure..I don't think anyone is looking for me."  
She said softly, innocently.  
He nodded slowly,but eyed her suspiciously.

They couldn't know...not yet.  
Akira could feel it.  
He was, indeed, looking for her.  
But he was still far, far away.  
She still had a few more years before he would find her and kill her.

He's still far away.  
He's still far away.

_Brother._

* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi was annoyed.

He was suspicious when he first saw her.  
She looked so innocent, so he almost believed her.  
She threatened her senior and he knew that she was not to be trusted.  
She took a hit for his cousin, risked dying by keeping it a secret, so he figured he'd give her a chance, he'd treat her like an ally.  
And now he finds out another thing, another secret which makes him think of her as a foe once again.

Uchiha Itachi was very, very annoyed.  
He just couldn't tell whether or not to trust her.  
And it annoyed him to no end.

He watched her closely.  
Her facial expression did not change, but her shoulders tensed.  
Slightly, but they did.  
A less observant individual wouldn't have noticed, but nothing ever slipped past Uchiha Itachi.

_She slipped up._

* * *

  
Tsukino Akira was worried.  
Extremely worried.  
She realized that her shoulders were tense and she relaxed them, but there was no way that Itachi had missed that.

_She slipped up._

That was _not good._  
No, no, no.  
Itachi was just starting to trust her and she slipped up like that!  
She wanted to _disappear._  
She was going to have to explain that and judging by the look on Itachi's face, much sooner than she'd like to.

* * *

  
After about an hour at the hot springs the ninja and their clients walked back to the village.  
Along the way Tsukino Akira did her very best to avoid her more observant teammate.  
It was like playing _a game._

_Too bad Itachi was not in the mood for games._

Approaching her slowly he started walking next to her.  
She calmed down and looked at him, hoping against hope that she looked as innocent as the pug in her arms.  
Her sapphire eyes met a pair of cold, onyx ones.

''We need to talk."

_That was not going to end well._

* * *

  
Somewhere far, far away a tall, pale young man, whose body was hidden by a black cloak, walked out of what looked like a portal.  
His underlings bowed immediately, he paid them no attention.

''Prepare a path to the next world."  
He growled at the lower-ranked individuals.  
They all started moving, drawing the seals, chanting the curses.

He snorted uncharacteristically while staring at the Irascens who were working to open up a path to a different dimension.  
His stare was cold, intense and abhorrent.

I _will_ find you...  
I _will_ have your head...  
 ** _Akira_**.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	12. Of genes and interogations

Uchiha Itachi was not pleased.  
When Uchiha Itachi isn't pleased, there is a slight chance of rain, a violent thunderstorm and _death._

And Akira was not worried about the weather.

The closer they got to the gates of Konoha, the more nervous she became.  
Not good.  
 _Not good at all._

She glanced at Itachi.  
He had his usual poker face on.  
His pace was fast, but even so, he made sure everyone could keep up.  
His eyes were sharp as always, with just a small glint of annoyance in there somewhere.

This was most definitely not going to end well.  
She gulped.  
No, no....not _at all._

* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi was the first one to enter the village.  
The chuunin duo greeted the gennin as they walked past them.  
His cousin grinned and the other teammate smiled in appreciation.

He suddenly stopped.  
Itachi turned around and looked at the rest of the group.  
They seemed to be confused by the sudden pause.  
To answer the yet-to-be-asked questions, he spoke.

"As I am the current leader of the team, Shisui, you will escort our clients back to their home, so Tsukino-san and I can report to the Hokage, therefore saving a little time. Meet us in front of the academy when you're done."  
He ordered.

Itachi didn't miss the disappointment on the younger client's and his cousin's face.  
However, he knew that Shisui was a strong, exceptional ninja who was serious about his missions.  
Clearing his throat briefly, Shisui straightened up and nodded.  
"Understood."  
He responded, as a decent ninja would to the leader of the team upon being given a task.

Itachi who had, of course, expected this only nodded and turned around, heading towards the Hokage's office.  
He listened to the footsteps of those around him as he walked.  
The girl followed immediately and the others turned left and walked away.

_It was time to get some answers._

* * *

  
Akira followed her current leader immediately.  
She walked behind him slowly, fearing that he might turn around and make it clear that he did not trust her anymore, any minute.  
He, however, did no such thing.

He just kept walking.  
She wanted to relax.  
Wanted to tell herself that he forgot.  
That he decided to let it go.  
But this is Uchiha Itachi, that we are talking about.

The chances of such a thing happening were.... _nonexistent._  
With every step her fear grew.  
With every step the bad feeling became worse.

**_Did I just lose my only chance?_ **

* * *

  
Itachi took a sudden turn.  
Following him absently, Tsukino Akira failed to notice that they had reached a park.  
An abandoned one it seemed.

No one was around and Itachi used the situation to start the interrogation.  
He turned around, a kunai in his hand.  
In less that a second he had said kunai pressed to her throat.  
Her eyes widened at the look in his.

Cold, ruthless, abhorrent, annoyed....  
His eyes....  
 _Just like her brother's._

* * *

  
"Who exactly are you?"  
He wanted to know.

Her breath hitched as the kunai was pressed closer, almost cutting into the skin of her pale neck.  
"I am Tsukino Akira, you already know that."

He resisted the urge to growl.  
"Who is looking for you?"

Akira knew she couldn't play any more games.  
She slipped up and now he knew.

She couldn't deny it.  
She knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill her on the spot if she tried to.  
''I.....think it might be my brother."  
She mumbled finally.

He rose a brow, unamused.  
''I thought you didn't remember your family."  
He said coldly.

She nodded despite the knife at her throat.  
"A few days ago, I dreamed of a man. A tall, young man. He looked just like me, aside from his lifeless gray eyes, he was _exactly_ like me. And as he was too young to be my father, I assumed the man was my brother."  
She said softly, remembering the features of her brother's face.

She knew _every detail._  
She could _never forget._  
But to deceive Uchiha Itachi, she had to speak _very little._

* * *

  
He stared at her for a moment, clearly not believing the story.  
Itachi was not easy to deceive, he never stopped until he knew the truth.  
Yet, he felt the urge to let this go....temporarily at least.

What bothered him, what made him aware of this urge were _her eyes._  
The sparkly sapphire orbs staring back at his onyx ones.  
The innocence and purity in them...were not that of a human.  
No person, civilian or ninja, he had ever met had that look.

Slowly he withdrew his weapon, keeping his eyes on her.  
"And you think that your brother is looking for you?"  
"That man is the only person I can think of that would be looking for me. I do not know many people after all."  
She responded softly.

"Is that so?"  
"Yes."  
"Why didn't you say this to Shisui, whom you consider your friend then? Why not share such information with him?"  
She froze.

_He got her._  
She had no reason.

She had no response to the question.

So she'd have to think of one off the top of her head.

"Shisui-kun would probably try to look for the man and would make it his personal mission to gather my family members if there are any of them out there and bring them to me for a heartwarming reunion. I do not want him to do such a thing, as it is completely unnecessary. A family which did not want me from the start should not and shall not get a chance to be near me now."  
She responded,the answer leaving her lips so easily, simply because of the hatred she felt towards her kin.

''Hmm..."  
He had no more questions it seemed.  
Instead, Itachi started walking again.  
Stopping briefly before they stepped into the busy street again he glanced at her over his shoulder.

_This conversation is not over._

* * *

  
He didn't need to say it.  
It was a very clear message.  
Not a good one, but a clear one.

Akira could only nod.  
She had hidden her sadness well enough.

Itachi walked back to the street and resumed the walk, this time going in the direction of the Hokage tower.  
Sighing softly to herself Akira followed him.

Aside from the sadness she felt, there was also mild annoyance.  
It was as if every time she got a step closer to her goal, she had to go back two steps.  
Looking up, she closed her eyes briefly.

He was slowly getting closer.  
 _She didn't have much time._

* * *

  
Itachi knocked on the wooden door in front of him and waited for the response patiently.  
''Come in!"

The all too familiar voice of everyone's favorite Hokage was heard.  
Entering the room Itachi and Akira stood in front of said Hokage's desk.  
"Ahh, you guys are back! Great job Team 3! My, my...So many exceptional gennin this year!"  
The Hokage grinned upon seeing the duo.

Itachi stepped froward and placed the mission reports on the desk.  
"These are the reports of our performance on the latest missions. I was told to give them to you, since sensei is currently very busy with other matters."  
Itachi said and took a step back to stand next to his teammate again.

Scanning the files for a second, the Hokage nodded.  
"Alright then. You guys should take the rest of the day off. Lately you've been doing multiple missions a day. You must be tired."  
The Hokage said, his gaze softening as he smiled gently at the gennin.

He got up and circled his desk. Stopping in front of it, he leaned against it.  
Suddenly he grinned.  
"Besides...if you guys keep taking all the missions, the other gennin will have nothing to do!"  
He joked and ruffled their hair.

Itachi nodded and Akira smiled at the friendly blonde man.

* * *

  
As they walked out of the building Akira felt something familiar.  
Looking around she saw nothing unusual.

Itachi headed in the direction of the Academy and she followed.

She felt as if something was about to happen.  
Not necessarily something bad, just... _something._

* * *

  
Noticing that his teammate had stopped Itachi stopped as well and turned around.  
Said teammate was staring at a street on their left, as if expecting something.

Looking around he noticed nothing a ninja could possibly worry about.  
With a sigh, he took a few steps towards her.

"What is it?"

She snapped out of her daze and shook her head lightly.  
"Ah-..Nothing...It must be my imagination."  
She muttered with a reassuring smile.

Restraining himself from raising a brow Itachi started walking again.  
He could hear that she was following.

Suddenly, he heard something approaching them at a very unusual speed for a civilian.  
This time he was the first to stop, only to have a light person collide with him and end up in a _very awkward position._

* * *

  
Akira knew Itachi was listening and that he'd know whether she was following him or not so she decided to worry about the unusual feeling later.  
She too, was listening to everything around her.  
And then she heard something unusual.

Itachi turned around and just as she was about to do the same something fluffy collided with her legs.  
Catching her off guard the blow to her legs sent her forward and right into Itachi.

She closed her eyes tightly silently hoping that she was dreaming.  
Hearing a thud she froze.  
Hoping against hope that the warm body underneath her own was not whose she thought it was, she slowly opened one eye.  
Only to see a black one staring back impassively, mere centimeters away.

_She was laying on top of Itachi Uchiha._

* * *

  
Itachi Uchiha usually preferred not to bother with some things in life.

For example if someone accidentally bumped into him, he'd just keep walking without a word.  
If a horde of rabid fangirls decided to stalk him, he'd just sigh and use a jutsu to escape them.  
If someone talked too much, he'd stop listening.  
If someone was being annoying, he'd leave the room for a bit and cool down before coming back.

_Which brings us to the matter at hand._  
What should one do if there is someone laying on top of them, embarrassed by the accident to the point of being completely frozen and motionless in the middle of day, in the middle of one of the biggest streets around?

Now, whenever Uchiha Itachi had a problem, he would think about it for a minute and a rational solution would easily come to him.  
This time, however, his brain seemed to be processing information slower than it usually did, which is exactly why it took Itachi Uchiha some time to blink at the girl and fix a look of annoyance onto his features.

The real question in this situation, however, is - _Why did it take him those few more seconds to respond to something?_

* * *

  
Akira was lost in those onyx eyes of his.  
They were like a _bottomless abyss._  
The deeper you tried to go,the darker it would get, but you would find no end to it.  
 _Just eternal darkness._

She was brought back to reality when the window to the abyss closed for a split second.  
 _A blink._  
A look of annoyance crossed her teammate's perfect features and then she realized what was happening.

Jumping to her feet as if she had been burned, Akira bowed immediately.  
"I'm so sorry, Itachi-san, it was an accident!"  
She squeaked in embarrassment.  
Her dog, Akio, who had slammed into her legs in an attempt to glomp her, stood by her side, looking very sorry for what he did.

With a sigh, Itachi pushed himself up and just kept walking.

* * *

  
Little did they know that one mischievous Uchiha woman had seen the scene from her hiding spot, which was by the way, a tree.  
Little did they know that this mischievous woman had taken _a picture._  
A very cute one too.

A pair of little gennin staring into each other's eyes.  
One could tell that their gazes were not just ordinary.  
It was visible that in just those few seconds of their eyes being locked, so many things went through their heads.

Said woman squealed happily, did a little twirl and waltzed home to hide the precious picture, so that her husband wouldn't be able to find it before the wedding.

_Such a crazy woman this Uchiha Mikoto._

* * *

  
As they resumed their walk towards the Academy both gennin were very quiet.  
The dog followed the duo happily, completely unaware of the weird atmosphere.

Uchiha Itachi had a lot on his mind.  
Things like: figuring out what was happening (he was supposed to be dead after all), worrying about Danzo and Shisui and how these changes in his life would affect Sasuke, about future missions, about a pair of oddly interesting blue eyes, about Akatsuki, about the Kyuubi and so,  _so_ many other things.

Tsukino Akira had a lot on her mind as well.  
Things like: her brother, her father, her future, her goal, a pair of mesmerizing onyx eyes, how she was going to deal with Danzo in the future, how she was going to save Shisui-kun and so,  _so_ many other things.

Suddenly, both gennin froze.

_Wait, what!?_

Uchiha Itachi composed himself almost immediately and kept walking.  
Tsukino Akira shook her head lightly, feeling her face heat up again and followed her teammate, while trying to shake the blush off.

The dog barked happily, as if it knew that something very significant for their future had just happened.  
The gennin decided to ignore the bark, which sounded a lot like the dog was telling them that it knew something they didn't know or just pretended not know or notice.

_My, my...  
Such an amusing duo, these two._

* * *

  
Uchiha Shisui yawned.  
Standing in front of the Academy, he waited for his teammates patiently.

Looking at the Academy for a moment he felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him.  
Memories flooded back.  
Competing with and against Itachi, his first crush, his first 100/100 score on a test, the first time everyone tried to do Bunshin no Jutsu and Kawarimi no jutsu...

He sighed softly.  
Uchiha Shisui enjoyed his life very much, he liked his team very much too, but he did miss some things and some classmates.

"Ah, Shisui-kun! Gomennasai! You had to wait for us."  
Blinking slowly, Shisui was brought back to reality by a very soft voice of a very sweet girl.

He grinned.  
"Don't worry about it Aki-chan! I've only been here for about 5 minutes."  
Uchiha Shisui assured.

"We were told to use the rest of the day as we please."  
His cousin stated.

Uchiha Shisui smiled.  
"Awesome! Nee! Let's all grab some lunch together. What do you say Aki-chan!?"  
Said girl blinked and smiled.  
"I'd love that."  
She responded softly.

"Awesome! Itachi?"  
Uchiha Shisui looked at his cousin who-  
"I'll pass."  
Flat out refused.

Shisui pouted.  
"Come on! Why eat at home, when you can eat with us? You have nothing more important to do, right?"  
"As the matter of fact, I do."

Persuading Uchiha Itachi to do something was not an easy thing to do.  
 _Not at all._

Thankfully, Uchiha Shisui had some crazy genes himself.  
 _Crazy genes meaning - the mischievous Uchiha Mikoto genes._

"Oh! I know! Since you won't join us, we can join you! I'm sure auntie Mikoto won't mind. In fact, she might even invite us to sleep over at your house. That sound just like something she'd do, nee?"  
Uchiha Shisui grinned, looking at the expression on his cousin's face.

**_Bingo._ **

"Fine."  
"So, Aki-chan, how does some Yakiniku sound?"  
A very pleased Uchiha Shisui asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter (even though it is short-ish) and I'll see you in the next one! :3


	13. Of sighs and romantic stories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I'm not quite sure if Mikoto was born as an Uchiha or if she just happened to look like an Uchiha and marry one (I just did some research on Narutopedia + we never really saw her using Sharingan, did we?) so for the sake of our story and comparison of Mikoto and Akira, here she'll be just a normal kunoichi. 

Uchiha Itachi sighed.  
For the _sixth_ time.  
And yes, he _has_ been counting.

Looking at his teammates who were sitting across the table at the Yakiniku restaurant he blinked and shook his head.  
Tsukino Akira was laughing at something his cousin had said.  
Said cousin was grinning proudly, undoubtedly congratulating himself on making the girl laugh.

And then there was Itachi.  
Plate untouched, eyes not focused on anything in particular and a mess of thoughts swirling in his head.

"Oi! Itachi, why aren't you eating anything? At least pretend you're enjoying a lunch with your teammates."  
Uchiha Shisui interrupted his train of thought.  
Itachi looked up and blinked at his cousin.

He didn't need to speak in order to communicate with Shisui.

Shisui rolled his eyes.  
"Fine, be like that then. Let's go, we are already done and you don't seem to be very hungry, so we might as well walk Aki-chan home. We'll have a nice little chat with auntie Mikoto after this you know."

Now that is something Uchiha Itachi was _not_ looking forward to.

As they exited the restaurant Uchiha Shisui froze.  
"Shisui-kun? Is something wrong?"  
The female of the team questioned, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

Uchiha Shisui stood there, wide-eyed, still frozen.

"You forgot to do something."  
Itachi stated more than asked, with yet another sigh.  
His cousin nodded.  
"Dad is going to kill me! I've gotta run! Itachi! Be nice and walk Aki-chan home and I promise I won't say anything to auntie Mikoto. Oh God! He'll kill me!"  
And with that Uchiha Shisui ran like hell.

Cue another sigh.

"Come on."  
Was all he said.

The girl nodded shyly and followed him.

They kept walking in silence.  
An awkward one as well.

As they reached the forest in the center of which the girl's house was located they started jumping from one tree to another, as it was much faster than walking.

* * *

  
Tsukino Akira followed her teammate with a nod.  
She didn't like the silence, but had no other choice but to deal with it for the time being.

So she used the silence to sort out her thoughts and plans.  
While they were walking she absently mumbled a reply when Itachi informed her that they were going to speed up through the forest and she jumped up.

Lost in her thoughts she jumped on the next branch at an uncomfortable angle.  
Feeling the pain in her ankle Akira tried to somehow jump back and keep moving, but the branch beneath her legs snapped and suddenly she was falling.

* * *

  
All of a sudden Itachi heard the girl, who had been just a little behind him, gasp at the same time he heard a branch snap.  
In a swift move he jumped forward, pushed himself back using the branch he was supposed to land on, did a backflip and landed on the ground just in time to catch the girl.

Looking down at her he found a pair of sparkly eyes staring up at him.

_And then it happened again._

As their eyes locked he felt as if he couldn't look away or even blink.  
Her warm puffs of breath hit his chin as he held her in his arms, bridal style.

* * *

  
The question on both their minds though was-

_**Why can't I look away?** _

* * *

  
As weird as is it, at that moment Itachi remembered a story his mother once told him.  
The weird part was that said story was the story of how his parents met and fell in love.

(This next part is for the amazing reader who gave me the wonderful idea! I hope you like it. ^_^ )

* * *

  
A 12-year-old heir of the Uchiha walked into the classroom.  
The ninja Academy's classroom.

_He was annoyed._

Why would someone of his skill need to attend classes with all the regular kids?  
He _did_ need to graduate, but why would he need a team?  
He had more important things to do.

The first thing one would notice in said classroom was of course the red hair and fiery temper of the Kyuubi's junchuuriki.  
"What did you call me!? I'll show you a tomato, ya know!"  
She growled and jumped at the bully.

As she started beating him up boys laughed, girls either badmouthed her or giggled and another crazy-haired kid, Namikaze Minato, stared at the scene, worry clear in his eyes.

Uchiha Fugaku was not so sure that he was worried about the bully though.  
Fugaku sighed.

Namikaze Minato was an exceptional ninja and a worthy opponent, coming from Fugaku himself, that was one hell of a praise for the young shinobi.  
Therefore it irked Fugaku to see such a skilled individual distract himself with something as unimportant as _feeling for a girl._

When Uzumaki Kushina was finally pulled off of the poor boy, the teacher walked in and started scolding her.  
 _Same old, same old._

And then he noticed something _new_.  
There was a new kunoichi in class.  
Black hair, black eyes, a charming smile and a soft voice.

_Mikoto was her name._

As he passed her on his way to his seat her heard her talking to her new friends.

"Waah! Miko-chan! Your hair is so beautiful!"  
"She's right Miko-chan! And your skin is too!"  
"Oh my! It's Fugaku-kun!"

And so it began.   
"Kyaa! Fugaku-kuun! Ohayo!"  
"I hope we end up on the same team Fugaku-kun!"  
"Back off Mirai! Fugaku-kun is mine! He'd never date a fat cow like you anyway."  
"Fat?! At least I can lose my weight and what are you going to do about your teeth, Rabbit Girl?!"  
"Why you-"

"Class, enough!"  
The teacher shouted, glaring at the horde of fangirls about to rip each other apart.  
"Everyone sit! Your teams will be announced today. Kushina, back to your seat, now. And don't hit anyone!"

"Yeah, yeah..."

The red-head muttered as she started walking to her seat.  
Which just so happened to be next to the new girl.

"Hello, it's very nice to meet you, I'm Mikoto."  
She introduced herself.

Kushina opened her mouth to reply when someone from across the room shouted.  
"That's Tomato Uzumaki, believe me, you don't wanna be friends with her!"

 

And then there was a _frying pan_ flying toward the boy at an amazing speed.  
 _Headshot._

 

Uzumaki Kushina, who had gotten up with her fists clenched to shout back, blinked and then looked back at the black-haired girl.  
Mikoto was smiling her usual smile, but there was now a dangerous aura around her as she spoke.  
"I'd appreciate if you kept you opinion to yourself, I'd like to get to know Kushina-san myself and then judge her as a person. And since you've already spoken, I have to say I'd completely disagree. Kushina-san seems like a great kunoichi and a great friend."  
The girl said.

Silence ensued.  
The question everyone was asking themselves was-   
 _Where the hell did she pull that frying pan out from?!_

 

And so the girl with a charming, yet dangerous smile got the attention of Uchiha Fugaku.

* * *

   
A black haired kunoichi sat outside, beneath a tree.  
She was talking to her new red-haired friend, who was telling her about all the bullies she beat up, quite enthusiastically too.  
Mikoto giggled every now and then at the flames in the red-head's eyes and her reenactments of the events.

She was enjoying her day very much.  
Suddenly she felt like she was being watched.  
Turning her head slightly she saw no one behind her.

Being the smart young kunoichi she was, Mikoto focused on the chakra around her.  
She noticed a strong source of chakra somewhere above her.

And when she looked up, she saw a young black-haired boy sitting on top of the Academy building.  
He was looking down at her, a bored expression on his face, but she could tell there was a sparkle of interest somewhere in those black orbs.

Feeling her cheeks warm up she wanted to pretend she didn't notice anything, but refused to look away first.  
Mikoto was no weak fangirl.  
She was a strong kunoichi.  
She was never the one to back down from a challenge and especially never one to lose to a boy.

Their eyes locked and suddenly Kushina's voice got quieter.  
The world froze, became gray and the only thing that kept the colour were _his beautiful onyx eyes._  
And strangely... _she couldn't look away._

* * *

  
"Alright team today is your first mission as Jonnin. This is an A-ranked mission so don't get carried away. We'll be passing through the enemy's territory, so we might be attacked at any given moment, which is why for this mission we will be collaborating with another team."  
   
The sensei of team 5 which consisted of the Uchiha heir, a very friendly and very deadly kunoichi and some random guy no one would even remember in a couple of years, explained just as the other team arrived.

The other team being Namikaze Minato and some random guys no one would even remember in a couple of years.

With a friendly smile Namikaze Minato waved.  
Fugaku acknowledged him with a nod and his female teammate with a wave of her own.

"Ohayo Minato-kun."  
She said.  
"Ohayo. I'm looking forward to working with you."

He said and grinned.

Mikoto grinned back and whispered to the blond, while their teachers were talking.  
"Minato-kun, we have to talk about _that_. I have a plan."  
The girl whispered to him.

The future Hokage's face lit up like a Christmas tree.  
"Really? Great!"  
He answered, suddenly much happier.

Now, Namikaze Minato was one of very few people whose presence Uchiha Fugaku did not mind....too much..  
Yet at that moment the heir felt a strong desire to burn the blond with a nice big Goukakyuu no Jutsu.

It was the first time Uchiha Fugaku got a taste of a little something called _jealousy._

* * *

  
Did I mention that Uchiha Fugaku was annoyed?  
Very much?  
Yea well,  _double that._

He could literally feel the vein on his forehead pulsating as the previously mentioned two chatted endlessly.  
 _He_ was her teammate for God's sake.  
They have been together for _years._  
So what does Namikaze Minato have that Fugaku doesn't?

The answer to that question, however, never came to him.  
Which only annoyed him more.

So when their teacher announced that they would be splitting into pairs, Uchiha Fugaku used the chance.  
Giving his sensei a meaningful glare he stated that he and the girl would be a pair.  
Said sensei knew better than to argue with the future leader of all Uchiha.

Which is how _it_ happened.

* * *

  
As they jumped through trees in silence (which, yes, you guessed right, annoyed Fugaku very,  _very much_ ) the heir finally snapped.

"So, what were you and Namikaze talking about?"  
He asked, trying to sound like he did not care one bit.

Which he totally didn't!

"Hmm...it's a secret."  
Mikoto responded with a giggle.

Uchiha Fugaku grit his teeth.  
Sometimes being blunt was the only way of communication with the female.  
However, 'blunt' was always a word very despised among the Uchiha.  
One could say they considered the word to be nonexistent in their vocabulary.  
Yet the heir had run out of options and thank God, no one was around to hear what he was going to say.

"So you really like that guy?"  
Yep....he said it.

Now he only needed her to answer and then hand him a rope so he could hang himself.

Silence ensued.

Okay...a quick slash with a kunai wouldn't hurt either.

He was ready to reach for said kunai when Mikoto burst out laughing.  
That was the first time Fugaku Uchiha blushed.

"M-Me?! Like Minato-kun!? Ahahah, nooo! He is planning a surprise party for Kushina, so he needed advice!"  
The girl explained and resumed the chuckling fit.

A kunai to the throat sounds very tempting right about now.

Uchiha Fugaku cleared his throat.  
"Watch where you're going."  
He barked, just to try and change the subject.

Suddenly he heard a snap and a gasp.  
His eyes widened slightly.  
In a swift move he jumped forward, pushed himself back using the branch he was supposed to land on, did a backflip and landed on the ground just in time to catch the girl.

As he looked down at her she was already staring up at him.  
Their eyes locked and he froze.

He _couldn't move_ a muscle.  
He _couldn't speak._  
He _couldn't think._

And both of them wondered-  
 ** _Why...can't I look away?_**

* * *

  
After a few minutes of silence Mikoto snapped out of the trance his mesmerizing eyes had put her into and spoke nervously.  
"Ano-"  
"Be more careful!"

He snapped at her, more worried than angry, even though he didn't show it.

"Ah, sorry?"  
Mikoto offered sheepishly.

"Why-!? Ah you are so clueless!"

He growled.

"Eh? About what?"

"Forget it!"  
Okay, so maybe now he understood Namikaze Minato a little better.

"Oi! Wait! Clueless about what!?"  
And that's pretty much how one of Konoha's most powerful couples got started.

* * *

  
"You should be more careful."  
He mumbled.  
Strangely it was the only thing he could think of to say.

"I...I'm sorry..."  
She muttered weakly, as he gently set her down on the ground.

Blinking slowly, Itachi sighed for the millionth time that day.  
"There's nothing to apologize for."  
He said, his voice as monotonous as ever.  
Akira nodded quickly, staring at the ground, cheeks burning.

"Come on."  
He said and turned to keep walking.  
And keep walking he would have, if there hadn't been a small person tugging at the back of his T-shirt.

"A-Ano..."  
"Yes?"  
He didn't turn around.

"Thank you.."  
She breathed out, it was almost inaudible, but Itachi had extraordinary hearing.  
"..You are welcome.."  
Itachi muttered and feeling that the back of his T-shirt was released, he kept walking.

Akira  followed shyly,this time,watching where she was going _much more carefully._

* * *

  
Closing his eyes, Itachi breathed out.  
He felt as if he had been unconsciously holding his breath during that little scene.

The question is - _**Why?**_  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and see you in the next one lovelies! <3


	14. Of blood and training sessions

Tsukino Akira did a backflip, efficiently landing on the ground, hand on her right knee.

She was covered in sweat, cuts and bruises.  
She was panting, trying to catch her breath....  
 _Sadly her opponent knew better than to let her do so._

"Ghh!"  
Akira grunted, jumping to the side, barely avoiding the huge ball of fire which had been barreling towards her mere seconds ago.  
She leaned against a tree, suppressing her chakra, hoping the previously mentioned opponent couldn't spot her.  
 _She was wrong._

She ducked just in time to miss getting killed by a kunai knife, which was now embedded into the tree she had been leaning against, where her neck would have been, had she not reacted in time.  
"Haah, haah...."  
She breathed heavily throwing a kunai with a paper bomb attached in the direction where she felt his chakra.

Using the smoke and the loud sound she disappeared with a gust of wind.  
Who knew fighting with ninja powers and not her _actual_ powers would be that hard?

Akira was certain he couldn't see her, as she was using a camouflage technique, but the question was-  
 _Could he feel her chakra?_

One could never completely suppress chakra and her opponent was extremely sensitive to it and good at locating it.  
The answer to the previously asked question came to her when she felt said opponent's foot make contact with the left side of her rib cage.  
She was kicked to the side and into a tree.  
Coughing and gasping for air she rose to her feet and looked around.

Left?  
 _No._  
Right?  
 _No._  
Above maybe?  
 _No._

Then _where?_  
Her reflexes kicked in, making her hand with a kunai in it snap forward and block the kunai aiming for her head.  
He had copied her camouflage technique and was now using it against her.

Their kunai clashed, sparks flew as he slid his weapon to the left and tried stabbing her side with it instead.  
Just as it was about to pierce her skin, Akira disappeared, leaving a log in her place.

Opening her eyes she found herself about 150 meters away from him.  
Something was _wrong._  
He _wasn't moving._  
Her eyes widened as she heard the sound all ninja dreaded.  
Her head snapped to the side fast enough to give her a temporary neck cramp and she saw _a paper bomb kunai_ in the ground next to her.

A loud explosion followed.

* * *

  
He shielded his eyes as pebbles and dust flew about.  
She was still _alive._

Feeling her chakra behind him, he managed to catch her fist and twist her arm.  
She hissed in pain and tried kicking instead.  
He was faster than her though.

Blocking her kick with his other hand, he tightened the grip he had on her leg and flung her into a tree, like a rag doll.  
She was obviously exhausted, which was to be expected after several hours of non stop fighting, yet she rose to her feet once again, looking up at him with nothing but pure determination in her eyes.

A kunai whizzed through the air and towards him at an amazing speed.  
He caught it effortlessly and sent it back, feeling some fatigue himself, but refusing to show it.

Tsukino Akira jumped to the left and rolled away and into the woods, both dodging the kunai and hiding herself.  
However, nothing could remain hidden for a very long time around _him._  
Placing his hand in front of his chest he channelized some chakra into it and went through some handsigns.

A second later he was standing on a tree branch behind the panting girl.  
She didn't know he was there yet.  
 _Good._  
He raised his leg slowly, soundlessly and slammed it into her back, kicking her back out into the open field.

He didn't feel a thing while beating her up like that.  
He had to knock her down and kick her _while_ she's down if she ever hoped to survive the cruel reality that is The Shinobi world.

She charged at him once again.  
 _It was about time to end it anyway._

* * *

  
Akira's body was sore, her senses were numb and he was probably going easy on her too.  
She _got up_ again.  
She clenched her fists _again._  
 _And she charged._

Before Akira even had the time to realize what was happening she was pinned down a kunai at her throat, crimson eyes locked with her sapphire ones.  
 _It was over._

* * *

  
She gasped for air, having suddenly found herself underwater.  
Finding her way out of the water she gasped and coughed.

"Game over."

He stated.  
She looked up, beaten and soaked.  
 _He was right._

She was trapped now, this was the end of their battle and she lost.  
She was in _his world_ now.  
World of illusions.  
World of _pain._  
World of _despair._  
World of _death._

Yes, she was trapped in an illusion of Sharingan's.  
One by which many shinobi died.  
Yet, she knew she was nothing but safe here.

"Your speed is good, but reduces over time. Your strength is mediocre which needs to be fixed immediately and your jutsu are focused and well controlled, yet not as powerful as they should be. Your aim is good, however the lack of strength in your arms makes the kunai or shuriken too slow and too easy to catch or dodge. Your analysis of your opponent's abilities is good and your reflexes come in handy, but you have to work on your sensory abilities and pay more attention to the smaller details."  
He listed some of his observations.

She nodded firmly when he finished speaking.  
Then he _disappeared._

* * *

   
It was a normal routine for them.  
A spar which could take up to 6 hours, depending on Itachi's mood and time limit and then a training session in an illusionary world of his Sharingan.  
The training session served to improve his teammates' senses and reflexes, as well as test their stamina and pain tolerance.

Ever since they were told the date for the chuunin senbatsu shiken members of team 3 have been training day and night.  
And since their sensei apparently had more important things to do, they were left to Itachi who insisted on beating the living hell out of both his teammates in order to ensure their success in the exam.

Now, if one asked him Itachi would not admit it, but it was becoming noticeable that he was going easy on the female of the team.

Well...easi _er_..  
There she was bloody, bruised, exhausted and still fighting.  
One'd think that was bad enough.  
Uchiha Shisui was, however, in hospital with third degree burns and a broken arm.

Thankfully it was gambling season and Lady Tsunade was in Konoha and when she was sober, she helped out in hospital, so Shisui wasn't in _too much_ trouble.

* * *

  
Several days later in the illusionary world was less than an hour later in real life.  
Tsukino Akira's body jerked as her eyes snapped open and she found herself back on the training field where it all had started a few hours ago.

Her current teacher and sparring partner was standing next to her, arms crossed, eyes averted from her and focused on something far away.  
As she got up, her legs shaking slightly, he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.  
"We are done for the day."

He announced and started walking.

"Matte!'  
She blurted out without thinking.  
He paused, waiting for her to continue.

"Could you, please, accompany me to hospital later today? I know you're probably busy, but I promised Shisui-kun I'd pay him a visit and have lunch with him. However I think he'll be even happier if we all have lunch together...as a team."  
She muttered nervously, but Itachi could hear well enough.  
Over time he got used to her soft, quiet voice and it was now a normal thing for him to pay extra attention when she starts speaking.

Uchiha Itachi was always good at adjusting to things and environments.  
As much as he hated having to change something in life, he found it surprisingly easy to adjust to _her._  
Especially _her voice._

He still found it somehow familiar, yet could not quite put a finger on it.  
Also, over the time he'd spent with his team (or just her) he realized one more thing about which, surprisingly, Shisui was right.  
 _Saying no to her was a hard thing to do._

"Fine."  
Leaving her with that he poofed away.

* * *

  
Tsukino Akira breathed a sigh of relief.  
That was _much harder_ than she thought it would be.

Picking up her backpack she slung it over her shoulder and headed home.  
After a long, hot and thought-provoking shower she made her way down the set of stairs and walked into the kitchen of her big house.  
Looking over some recipes she sighed softly to herself.

Akira had promised Shisui a homemade bento, yet she had no idea _what_ and more importantly _how_ to make.  
The girl shook her head.  
Well as long as the bento had some onigiri Shisui would be more than happy to eat it.  
The challenge is the other boy.

Thinking about it for a moment she decided to make a regular bento and then make another one with just sweets.  
And by sweets, I mean lots and lots of different types of dango and some amanatto.

Rolling up her sleeves, Akira recalled all the things Mikoto had shown her when she'd assisted the older woman in the making of a delicious lunch and started cooking.

* * *

  
Uchiha Itachi heaved a sigh as he sat down next to his little brother's crib.  
Said brother was rolling around in his crib and laughing cutely to himself.  
Itachi couldn't help but smile at this.

_Who would've guessed this little angel would be the one at whose hands his life would end in several years?_

Leaning back a little, Itachi relaxed.  
Somehow his brother's presence was something he always found comforting.  
Especially before Sasuke learned how to talk.

Blinking slowly, he felt a wave of fatigue wash over him.  
It was always like that for him.  
During training or a fight he would feel _nothing._  
But as soon as he sat down or relaxed in any way, all the tiredness he should've felt back then hit him at once.

He rolled his shoulders, got up and stretched his arms above his head.  
Sasuke made a little sound and started crying suddenly.  
Itachi approached the crib and lifted his baby brother up into his arms.  
"Hush, now. Nii-san's here, Sasuke. It's fine."  
He hushed the child softly, while rocking him back and forth.

Feeling that he was picked up and hearing the familiar voice of his favourite guardian, little Sasuke relaxed and soon enough dozed off.  
Looking at the fragile creature in his arms, Itachi realized something.  
He'd die a million more times, just to ensure his baby brother's survival in the Ninja world.  
He regretted nothing and he had no intentions of changing anything he had done in his life.

_However, he did not know that Akira had something a little different planned for him._

* * *

  
Humming to herself happily Tsukino Akira packed the last bento and smiled at her work.  
The kitchen was a mess, but it definitely paid off.  
Wiping her hands clean she removed the apron and grabbed her bag.

Just as she was about to run out the door she paused.  
The girl realized that she should probably change her clothes.  
When walking around the house she wore an oversized T-shirt and some sweat pants, but that was no appropriate outfit for hospital.  
Running up to her room, Akira quickly pulled on a blue kimono blouse and some black three-quarter pants.

Going down the stairs again she picked up her bag and pulled on her sandals.  
Exiting the house she waved and smiled at her dog and ran towards the hospital feeling very happy all of a sudden.

* * *

  
Itachi leaned against the wall of Konoha's hospital.  
He had arrived a little earlier than he meant to.

Looking around he found nothing unusual.  
 _Ahh, the nostalgia._  
People of Konoha were moving about their day, chatting, visiting patients, children were running around playing and laughing.

He missed this period.  
The period of _peace._  
The period when everyone could live normal lives, have big happy families, the period after the war and before the attack.  
"Ahh, gomen! Have you been waiting for a long time?"  
Tsukino Akira ran up to him, stopping to catch her breath she immediately apologized with a bow.

He just blinked at her.  
She was early too.  
If he had come on time, she would have had to wait for him for about 10 minutes.

"I've just arrived myself."  
He muttered, hating the fact that most people were staring at him.  
Akira smiled.  
"Oh, great! Let's go then."  
Having said that she started walking.

Taking a minute to glare at everyone staring at him, Itachi followed the girl slowly.

* * *

  
"Kon'nichiwa, Shisui-kun."  
Tsukino Akira said softly, upon entering her teammate's room.

Looking up from the book he was reading Uchiha Shisui grinned at the female of his team.  
"Yo! You found the time to visit me! Awee, thank you so much Aki-chaan!"  
He stretched his hands out, showing that if was allowed to leave the bed, he would hug the girl.

"Holy- You managed to hunt Itachi down and somehow blackmail him into coming here!? Woah! You really are a miracle worker."  
Uchiha Shisui stated and started to slow clap.  
"I can't believe my eyes!"  
He announced as his cousin and teammate walked into the room.

With a charming smile Akira sat on a chair next to Shisui's bed.  
"Itachi-san was just as worried about you as I was."  
She said softly and started pulling things out of her bag.

Uchiha Shisui pouted as his cousin sat on the opposite side of the kunoichi.  
"If he was worried, he wouldn't have put me in hospital."  
He grumbled like a child.

"Better I than someone from another village."  
Itachi stated, boredom clear in his voice.  
"Mean!"  
Shisui shouted, pointing his index finger at his cousin.  
"Hn."

"Here...I promised you we'd have lunch together."  
The kunoichi spoke softly, handing her injured teammate a bento box.  
"Wah! You really did cook something! Awesome! I can't wait to try this! Itadakimasu!"  
Tsukino Akira giggled happily at her teammate's silliness.

"Dozo."  
She muttered, offering a bento box to her other teammate as well.  
Itachi blinked and accepted the offer.  
"Arigato."  
He mumbled absently.  
She nodded, her cheeks warming up slightly.

"This tastes great!"  
The more talkative comrade commented happily.  
Akira felt her cheeks get _just a little bit warmer._  
"..Really?" She questioned hopefully.  
"Yeah! It's awesome!" He reassured.

She sighed in relief.  
"Right Itachi?"  
And her breath caught in her throat.  
"...yeah.."  
"A...Arigato!"  
She thanked them, feeling prouder than ever.

When she showed them the sweets she'd made, Akira felt even happier because for a split second there was a little glint in Itachi's eyes.  
A glint of happiness maybe?

Akira wasn't used to being so appreciated.  
Members of her kind would either envy one's success or make it seem like it's not a success at all.  
Her own brother would glare at her every time she managed to do something right.

Which is why she felt this pleasant feeling inside of her body while spending time with her wonderful team.

* * *

  
It was _a tradition_ of the species.  
 _A brother and a sister_ were born every few thousand years.  
To become _the king._  
To become _the king's most loyal servant._  
It was the _purpose_ ,  _the destiny_ of these cursed siblings.

By killing his father the prince would succeed the throne.  
By taking control of the council consisting of the strongest elders the princess would become worthy of being a queen.  
The siblings were to marry and, for blood meant nothing to these ancient beings, produce the future pair of rulers.

A queen could be _replaced._  
Replaced by any strong woman of Custos de Mundum.

Yet _she_ had no other choice, but her powerful lord,  _the king himself._  
Even though the prince could choose his future queen, the princess was not allowed to look at anyone but him, even if he chose another woman, she was to forever stay his, should his wife bore him she was to be there and love the king, for centuries to come.

At first, Tsukino Akira accepted her faith.  
She was ready to love the king, to live and to die for him.  
To serve him and only him, to never betray him.

Yet an interesting human taught her what _life_ is.  
What _love_ is.  
What _sacrifice_ is.  
He taught her what _siblings_ really are.  
What _family_ really is.

And so she realized that _she wanted to be free._

She did love her brother, but _not in a way she was supposed to._  
She did appreciate her clan, but _not as much as she was supposed to._  
She fell in love, but _not with the one she was supposed to._  
She ran away,  _even though she wasn't supposed to._  
She found love,  _even though she wasn't supposed to._

_She angered the king, even though she knew....it was the last thing she'd ever do._

* * *

  
"My queen...Chasing after a human? Keh. Naive, weak woman...you should've listened. You could've been my queen. Yet you chose to search for something our kind can never find."  
The young prince snorted to himself.  
"Have fun on your quest to find love, because I'm about to cut it short."  
He growled, slamming his fist into a mirror, letting it shatter.

The footsteps of the future kind echoed in the dark dimension.  
His crimson blood mixed with pieces of a broken mirror, left on the _cold, dark floor._  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! :3


	15. Of exams and enemies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because you've been very patient and haven't given up on me and this story, you get a special scene of something that was not supposed to be revealed for a loong time.   
> I really don't have much free time until summer so bear with me, please.

_Today was the day._  
Today...the beginning of the chuunin senbatsu shiken would be announced.  
Today, the jonnin would tell their gennin about it and ask them to sing up, if they wished to, of course.  
His team knew about it already, but today it would be made official.

Uchiha Itachi stared down at his beloved village, sitting atop the shodai's head.  
Everyone was moving through busy streets, both the civilians and the foreign participants of the shiken.  
He closed his eyes and with a sigh opened them, this time sharingan activated.

Scanning some of the possible opponents he found none capable of even putting up a good fight against him.  
He nodded to himself.  
He had trained his teammates well.  
Well enough to get many praises from his jonnin instructor, praises he didn't want and didn't need.

Itachi looked up, finding comfort in the light breeze caressing his cheeks.  
His hair flew everywhere as the breeze got stronger.  
Running his fingers through it the young ninja moved his bangs out of the way and spotted a familiar face in the crowd.  
 _Kai._  
That was the name Danzo gave him when he joined the Root.

So the old fool was going to keep an eye on him by sending his people to compete?  
Ridiculous.  
Pathetic.  
 _Imbecile._

He'll have them kill everyone in their way until they get a chance to fight him and test his abilities.  
Shimura Danzo will stop at nothing to have Itachi under his control.

Oh, how he despised the man.  
 _Whatever happened to him after my death?_  - Itachi asked him self many times.  
But for the time being there was no way of knowing that.  
Itachi didn't care much anyway.

Looking around one more time he spotted Kai's current 'team'.  
Rin and Miu.  
Both members of the Root.

Itachi got up and dusted off his ninja pants. As he threw one last look he spotted a familiar girl in the crowd.  
 _Now_  he was intrigued.  
He followed her movements closely as she moved through the crowd, careful not to let her out of his sight.

She was walking around carelessly, a bag of groceries in her hand.  
 _Shopping?_  
Suddenly she turned around, as one would when having sensed danger or foreign chakra.  
The kunoichi of his team had her eyes fixed on a tree.  
Akira's eyes widened slightly, but only for a split second.  
Had he not been using his sharingan, Itachi most likely wouldn't have noticed that.

She quickly turned around and headed in the direction of the forest.  
Itachi raised a brow.  
 _Where was she going?  
And why in such a hurry?_

He made a few handsigns and disappeared in a puff of smoke.  
 _It was time to see what she was hiding._  
 

* * *

  
She walked around the village aimlessly, just enjoying the atmosphere.  
Humans were such nice, social creatures.  
She loved her knew life.

Looking around she grinned to herself.  
Most foreign participants were already there and she was starting to feel the excitement, even though the exam had not yet started.  
Akira chuckled to herself and kept walking.

Suddenly she felt _something._  
Like an electroshock to her spine.  
She felt like she could break in the middle of the street.

Someone was  _watching her._  
Someone  _of her kind._

Akira located the person quickly.

_It couldn't possibly be him!  
It couldn't!_

_There is no way he found me this fast!_

  
She turned around and headed for the woods.

If  _he_  were to invade this world.... _no survivors would be left_.  
 

* * *

  
She seemed to be panicking, but also trying to maintain a poker face.  
 _Interesting._  
As soon as she was out of civilians' sight she started running.

What could be so important for her to be distracted enough not to notice that she was being followed?  
Now he  _needed_ to know.  
After all, if he was right and he  _was_ 99% of the time, she was the key to this strange reincarnation and different reality.  
 

* * *

  
Running into the sea of trees she spotted a large gray bubble in the air.  
It was a separate dimension.  
She sighed to herself.  
 _Good, that means only I can see it._

Approaching it carefully she placed her hand on the surface.

_Come in._

So she did.  
Entering the dimension she faced the cloaked figure.  
"My lady..."

He bowed.

_So it isn't him. Thank heavens._

Akira relaxed slightly.  
A transporter huh?  
"What do you want from me!?"  
She demanded to know.

"The king is looking for you lady.."

The Irascens explained, looking at her through his bangs.  
"You are not here to warn me and we both know it. What is your real intention?"  
She growled, growing annoyed.

The transporter chuckled evilly.  
"He is looking and you know best, my princess, that the king hunts down what he wants like a bloodhound. He will  _find you_. He will  _kill you_. We both know it."  
He smirked.  
"If you even think about threatening me, I will rip your head off and send it back to him."  
She said coldly, her sole presence shaking the little closed off dimension.

"Of course not, my  _beautiful_  lady.."  
He laughed.  
"I have a proposal to make. I've found you, but the king doesn't know that yet. So come back with me. I'll be the great hero that brought the runaway princess back and get a nice little place in the council and you can cry a little, regret your recklessness and be off the hook."  
The transporter said.

Akira snorted.  
"You clearly know nothing about your king. The next time he sees me will be the last. He plans to kill me. My brother has always hated me. A little crying and acting won't help me live.  _Nothing will_."  
That's when he burst out laughing.

"You really don't know, do you!? Ahaahaha,  _poor, naive little princess_. Do you even know why your brother hates you so much?"  
His eyes got a maniacal glint as he clutched his stomach, laughing loudly, his dimension getting darker.  
"Your mother was killed because of your father's jealousy!  _He_ was the one who killed her! You two are like the reincarnations of them!"  
Akira froze.

_He_  was the one who _kille_ d her.  
 _He_  was the one who  _killed her._  
 _He was the one who killed her._

"She was going to try and unite dimensions. 'Piece' she would always call it, so she was always traveling in and out of different dimensions even when your father ordered her to stay in her own. She would sneak out and visit human world all the time. Your mother wished to be human and have a heart as much as you do.  _His own sister!_  He locked her up, he chained her down ,he took away her powers and then, finally, after you were born the psychotic bastard killed her! And so that she'd always stay with him, her body is still somewhere in our world, hidden and sealed away."  
She couldn't believe it.

No...  
 _No._  
 _No!_  
"What your brother feels is not hatred, but psychotic love! He'd rather rip out your spine than share you with a human! Ahahahaha!"  
The air was getting thick, stuffy.  
Akira coughed.

"You're insane!"  
She growled, summoning her staff.  
"We all are!"  
He screamed as she pierced his chest and his body turned to dust.  
 

* * *

  
As he started walking after her and into the woods, he suddenly felt her chakra disappear.  
 _Completely._  
He blinked and quickly climbed the nearest tree.

Looking around with his sharingan, he couldn't find her anywhere.  
He searched for her chakra but couldn't feel it at all.  
It was as if she had vanished from the world completely.

He felt a shiver travel down his spine.

_He had a bad feeling about the situation._

All of a sudden there was a bright flash of light behind him.  
When he turned around she was there, panting.  
Her eyes widened and met his.

"I...Itachi-san?"  
"What were you doing?"  
"I-....was practicing a new camouflage technique...Why....are you here?"  
He didn't believe her excuse, because she'd hesitated to answer, but at that moment he needed to think of one himself.  
Saying that he had been following her would probably not be a good idea.

"I was training when you ran into the woods and disappeared."  
He said, even though he never explained himself to anyone.

"Ah...I see...alright, um, I'll..see you in about an hour then.."  
She would usually smile and try to talk to him more.  
Right now she seemed to be quite shaken.  
She was trying to flee as fast as possible.

_So he was close to discovering her secrets._

"Show me that jutsu.'"  
Itachi demanded.  
 

* * *

  
Akira froze on the spot.  
 _Show me that jutsu._  
 

That was not even a jutsu, it was her destroying the mini dimension's creator, therefore destroying the dimension itself.  
Dimensions created by her kind couldn't be seen by humans, making them something like a perfect camouflage jutsu.  
She couldn't tell him.  
 _Not yet anyway._

"Itachi-san I'm..not feeling very well..The jutsu is something incomplete, made up, so it won't work anyway..I'd like to go home."  
Akira tried to think of a better excuse, but nothing came to mind, so she was stuck with just that.

"Those who call themselves allies don't lie to their comrades."  
He stated matter-of-factly.  
She winced at the harsh tone.

"My...my personal affairs have nothing to do with me wanting to be your ally."  
She bit out.  
He raised a brow.  
"Practicing an unknown jutsu alone does not count as a personal matter."  
As much as she loved him, she needed to push him away for now.

"If you must now, it's a jutsu I remembered last night, while I was dreaming about my family. I assumed it was something one of my relatives taught me and something that'll help me remember who I am. I do believe that that counts as a personal matter, which does not concern you or anyone else."  
She regretted it as soon as she'd blurted it out, but for now it would have to do.

"Very well...my apologies."  
Itachi was a proud and skilled young ninja, but he was not rude.  
He knew when he was wrong and he was not too proud to apologize.  
Akira nodded, feeling guilty that he was apologizing to her.

"I...believe me as soon as I find out who I am, you and Shisui-kun will be the first to know.."  
She mumbled, bowed and turned to leave.  
"Hn.''  
Was his curt response.  
 

* * *

  
Akira ran home.  
As soon as she arrived she collapsed onto her bed and buried her head into her pillow.  
Akio jumped onto the bed, in hopes of being cuddled with, but only got a short pat.  
He whined, dissatisfied with the lack of attention given to him.  
Akira sighed.  
"Akio...not now...I love you but...just don't...right now."

As if he could understand that she was on the verge of breaking down, the canine lied down next to her and placed his head onto her stomach.  
Akira couldn't be mad at him.  
"I'm sorry, I just...I'm dealing with a lot right now. Turns out my kin is even worse than I initially thought."

"Why was I cursed with this insanity?"  
And then she cried.  
She cried herself to sleep.  
For the first time she was so devastated, but so happy at the same time.

_Why would she be happy?_

**Her kind doesn't cry.***  
 

* * *

  
Uchiha Shisui was a very kind child.  
He could befriend just about anyone.  
Shisui loved all of his friends and was very nice to all of his acquaintances.

This young ninja could read others easily.   
He could tell when someone's feelings have been hurt and when someone wasn't feeling very well.  
And knowing that person he could easily assume why.  
He always picked up on the feelings of others quite quickly.

So when he arrived at the meeting point and saw the female of his team he immediately turned on his heel and marched up to his cousin.  
"Itachi..."  
He muttered.  
With a little tilt of his head said cousin implied that he was listening.  
Uchiha Shisui sighed.

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm going to ask. Geez. What did you do to Aki-chan?"  
Uchiha Itachi blinked, uncrossing his arms.  
"I've done nothing."  
He stated coolly.  
"Oh you did somethin', look! Poor Aki-chan looks like she's about to cry! You must've been mean to her."  
The shorter of the two scolded the heir, much like his mother would.

Itachi sighed.  
"Why don't you ask  _her_  why she's about to cry instead of asking me?"  
He questioned, getting slightly annoyed with his cousin.  
"You know what...I'm gonna do just that!"  
Shisui huffed and started walking towards his other teammate.

"Aki-chan! Konnichiwa!"  
He greeted sweetly.  
Akira looked up from her spot under a tree and smiled back at her friend.  
"Konnichiwa, Shisui-kun."  
She responded softly.  
"Spit it out. What did he say to you?"  
Shisui got straight to the point.

"Eh? Ah, no, Itachi-san didn't-"  
"No need to cover for him, Aki-chan! He's a meanie and he's made you sad, tell me what he did, imma tell Auntie all about this! She's gonna whoop his ass, believe me."  
He rambled, swinging his fist into the air and then giving the girl a thumbs up, accompanied by a pearly white grin.

Akira smiled at his enthusiasm and overprotectiveness.  
"No really, I had a nightmare last night, about my family and I haven't been feeling very well ever since.."  
She explained.

His eyes widened in realization.  
"Ohh....well what happened in your nightmare? I mean- You don't have to tell me! I just-"  
Akira chuckled.  
Uchiha Shisui wasn't very good with words, yet he always knew what to say to cheer her up.

"I'll tell you. I want to tell you. It's..kind of...morbid, though..."

She muttered.  
" 'S fine,I still wanna know what's bothering you."  
Shisui said.  
Akira nodded.

"Well...um..I had a dream that um....that my father killed...my mother. And I always thought that my family was just an ordinary group of people, but it felt so vivid. I just...I guess I don't want to believe it, but what if it is true?"  
She poured her thoughts out to him.  
Uchiha Shisui leaned against the tree trunk and thought about his teammate's problem for a minute.

"Then don't. It's just a dream after all. Quite frankly I wouldn't ever believe something like that. Someone like you couldn't have come from a family like that, you know..Some day, we'll find your family and then you'll know for sure. But for now, just believe that your parents were good people, because after all, they gave life to you. The least you can do is not doubt them with no proof."  
The gennin answered honestly,with an occasional shrug of his shoulders.  
Akira smiled.  
"You're right.."

_Of course._   
_He could've been lying just to scare me and I let it get to me._   
_Surely brother wouldn't act the way he does if he actually..loved me.  
Shisui....you're so much wiser than anyone gives you credit for._

"There ya go! There's the smile! Come on! Hug it out!"  
And suddenly she was glomped from the side.  
Akira chuckled as Shisui rubbed his cheek against hers and mumbled nonsense to make her laugh.

Several feet away from them Uchiha Itachi looked away, finding the exchange of affection hard to watch, for reasons unknown to him.  
Not hard as in disgusting or weird, just...quite uncomfortable.  
 _Why?_  
He didn't know and for the life of him couldn't figure out.

"If you two are done with the love fest, we can begin the team meeting now."  
The sensei of team 3 said as he poofed into the field, glaring at the two.

As the gennin approached him he started talking.  
"You already know about the exam, so I'll get to the point. Here are the application forms. Fill in those forms and bring them to the academy tomorrow at 8."  
When all of his students nodded he turned his attention to the heir of his clan.

"Itachi, your father is looking for you. Dismissed."  
Sensei announced and disappeared, leaving only a vortex of leaves behind.  
Sighing softly Itachi turned to leave, but-  
"Oi! Itachi! Wait!"  
He stopped and turned around.

"I owe you an apology, turns out Aki-chan had this freaky nightmare. But anyway, be a gentleman! We need to walk Aki-chan home."  
"Ah, no, Shisui-kun, it's okay, I can go back by myself."  
Akira protested weakly.

"No, no, no! There are foreigners everywhere! I won't let them harass Aki-chan. C'mon Itachi, let's go!"  
Uchiha Shisui insisted grabbing the girl and pulling his cousin along.

"It's like you are  _my mother's_  child."  
Itachi mumbled to himself.  
"Hahhaha, auntie says that all the time too! You are too quiet and negative to be her son."  
The shorter Uchiha teased.  
"But Itachi-san takes after his father, which makes him a skilled leader and will make him a good head of the clan. Besides, I'm sure Sasuke-san will be the one to resemble Mikoto-sama."  
The kunoichi smiled.

Shisui nodded.  
"Hm, hm. Good observation, Aki-chan, very good, very good."

He praised with a grin.  
"Itachiii! Talk to us a little, it won't kill ya for God's sake!"  
"What would you like me to say?"

"Agh! Come here, you and I are gonna go buy some dango and have a little chat along the way. Aki-chan, wait right here ok?"  
The girl nodded and smiled sweetly.  
"Okay."

Shisui grinned and pulled his cousin with him as he started to walk towards the dango shop.  
Humming to herself Akira leaned against a wall of the building behind her.  
Unfortunately, said building was a hotel.

"Ooh, what do we have here? Konoha's kunoichi? Heeh, are you in the shiken?"  
One of the Kirigakure ninja questioned her.  
Akira chose not to answer his question.  
She was not scared of a mere mortal and she had no time to lose on conversations with irrelevant mortals like him.

She looked away, paying no attention to the gennin.  
"Ignoring me, eh? Listen here kid-"  
He growled and gripped her arm tightly.  
 

* * *

  
"Be nice!"  
"Was I not?"  
"No! Well..I...You were antisocial!"  
"Is that a bad thing?"  
"Of course it is, you keep doing that and you make Aki-chan uncomfortable."  
"And you don't?"

Itachi regretted it as soon as he said it.  
For some reason the hugging, cheek-rubbing spectacle immediately came to mind when Shisui accused him of making the female uncomfortable.

"Why do you mean by that? I never made her uncomfortable! Did I?! Did she say anything!? Oh my God, does she hate me!? Is she grossed out?"  
 _And that is why he shouldn't have said anything._  
To him, his own words sounded like...jealousy.

Thank God his cousin didn't notice that.  
But it confused him.  
The 'love fest' did not bother him.  
 _At all._

So why did he feel the need to bring that up when Shisui told him that he'll make Akira uncomfortable by staying out of all their conversations?  
Itachi  _never_  felt defensive.  
Especially not enough to try and argue back with Shisui of all people.

_Weird._

"Are you even listening?! Did she not want us to walk her home because she doesn't like me!? I just wanted her to be safe and-"  
There it was.  
 _An easy way out._

"Yet you dragged me with you, thus leaving her alone."  
Shisui froze on the spot.  
"AH! You are right! Go! I'll go buy the sweets. Be back in a minute!"

And he sprinted towards the shop.

Itachi sighed and teleported back to his other teammate.

_Dodged a bullet._  
 

* * *

  
"Gah!"  
The foreigner groaned in pain, releasing her arm, because his own had been grabbed and twisted.  
"Who the-"  
He froze, his eyes locked onto a pair of crimson ones.  
 _The sharingan._

He shrieked, shook of the arm holding him in place and ran away.  
"Arigato...Itachi-san."

Akira breathed out, she was 20 seconds away from hurting a  _human._

"Douitashimashite."  
He muttered, deactivating his sharingan.  
Taking hold of her hand gently he inspected the red area.  
That idiot gripped quite hard.

"...Are you alright?"  
Akira looked down at her arm, blushing because she could feel the warmth of his hand over her smaller one.  
"Y..yeah...um...thank you. It seems that you always come to my rescue."  
Tracing his fingers up and down the red area, Itachi used what little medical ninjutsu he knew to soothe the skin and make sure a bruise doesn't form.  
The girl felt a cold sensation and the pain was gone.

"Thank you very much."  
Akira bowed as he released her hand.  
He nodded and turned around just as his cousin appeared, bursting through the crowd, a dango skewer   
hanging from his mouth.  
"Oi! Here comes dango!"

Shisui grinned to himself as he handed Itachi a skewer, as he was closer to him.  
Itachi politely passed the skewer to the female of his team, who blushed, mumbled a thank you and accepted the food.  
As he turned to give Akira a skewer Shisui noticed that she already had one and smirked smugly before handing his cousin another one with a wink.

_I can't wait to dance on your wedding._  
Shisui mouthed, knowing that Itachi was reading his lips.

_If you live to attend it._  
Itachi coolly mouthed back and bit into his dango, satisfied with the horrified look on his cousins face.

Akira, who had been watching the exchange chuckled softly.  
There was absolutely nothing better than the human life.

She raised a hand, discreetly placing it over her chest.  
 _Cold.  
Empty.  
No heartbeat._

Sighing to herself Akira shook her head and smiled again.

_Only time will show._

* * *

***It means that she is becoming more human.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
